Forged In Fire
by MaverickSawyer
Summary: The Breach is closed, and the world has started to pick up the pieces. Meanwhile, Mako and Raleigh bond over Mako's newest project: A katana for Stacker Pentecost's memorial. My first Fanfic of any sort. Feedback is not only welcome, but is in fact requested. Let me know how I'm doing!
1. Chapter 1

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 1**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Gipsy Danger Repair Bay_

_April 27, 2025_

_0300_

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

"Can't sleep?"

Mako set the hammer down and stuck the block of metal back into the furnace before turning around to face Raleigh.

"No. I'm still jet lagged. You too?"

"Yep. I was headed down to the helipad to look out over Hong Kong when I heard you working on something, so I came to take a look."

At that, Raleigh took a few steps forward, closing in on the furnace's yellow glow. He crouched down to take a look inside. The block of metal Mako had just been hammering glowed a bright orange in the intense heat. He turned back to Mako, one eyebrow quirked up. "What is it?"

Mako grinned. "The beginnings of a _katana_, like my family has made for twenty generations. It's for _sensei_'s memorial."

Raleigh smiled as Mako turned back to the furnace and pulled out the block, picked up the hammer, and began to work the metal once more.

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Mako enjoyed the simple pleasure of the forging work. It allowed her to work through her feelings and emotions while having a place to vent her energy. The therapist she had seen shortly after Operation Pitfall's completion had suggested it. Now that she and Raleigh had returned "home" to the Shatterdome, she had finally gotten the opportunity to work on the sword for _sensei_ she had been planning during their whirlwind tour of the world.

Redirecting her attention to the block of metal, Mako returned it to the furnace before it became too cool. It was good to be able to practice her traditional swordsmith skills, something she had not had time to do in the last few years. Yes, she had made two swords, some of the largest ever conceived and the largest built (as far as she knew), but Gipsy's Chain Swords were far from traditional. _Gipsy Danger. My creative outlet for the last few years. Gone. Along with _Sensei_ and Chuck and Striker Eureka._

A tear crept down her face as she remembered the losses of the Kaiju War. She pulled the block of steel from the furnace, and began to work it again…

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean_

_January 12, 2025_

_Two hours after surfacing_

WHOPWHOPWHOPWHOP…

Mako and Raleigh sat beside each other in the fold-down seats of the rescue helicopter, holding hands as the medics checked them over. No words were spoken between them; they didn't need to. The "hangover" from the Drift was still powerful enough to convey emotions.

Elation, awe, sorrow, pain.

One of the medics looked at them quizzically. "Didn't you two just literally save the world? Why aren't you excited?"

Raleigh sighed, thinking of some way to redirect the conversation. "We're exhausted. Driving a Jaeger isn't easy in the best of times, and when you're in pain from a wrecked leg and a torn off arm, you're fighting off THREE Kaiju, and you're running out of hope, it's REALLY tough. Cut us a break."

The medic blinked in surprise at the snappish response, shook his head, packed up his kit, and made his way across the cargo bay of the helicopter. "Sorry."

Mako leaned against Raleigh as they cruised back to the Shatterdome, still two hours away. It was too much to take in at once. _Sensei_, Chuck, Striker Eureka, and Gipsy Danger all gone. But the Breach was closed. Had it been worth it? All the loss? Mako's head spun.

_Beedlebeedle. Beedlebeedle._

One of the medics pulled out a tablet, looked at the incoming call source, then promptly handed it to Raleigh and Mako. "It's the Marshall."

Mako's heart jumped briefly before her brain realized that the medic had meant Herc Hansen, not Stacker Pentecost. She gulped, nodded, and took the tablet. "Thank you." She hit the "Accept call?" button, and the screen changed to a view from the Hong Kong LOCCENT. The noise came through a second later, loud enough to make even Raleigh flinch. Herc, Tendo, Newt and Hermann were all crowded around the camera, grinning like idiots. In the background, the beginnings of a party was clearly visible.

Herc started the conversation. "Well done, both of you. You're a credit to the PPDC, and to humanity. Pentecost would be proud of you. The rabble behind me, not so much."

Raleigh chuckled. "Hell of a party starting already, I see. Tendo, my man, make sure they don't blow through _all_ the booze before we get back."

"No promises, but I'll do my best," Tendo replied before ducking out of the camera's field of view and yelling something unintelligible.

Herc motioned for Newt to go next. "I'm sure both of you have some truly interesting tales to tell once you get back, but we need to get certain details now while they're fresh in your mind. Raleigh, what was it like in the AnteOW! HERMANN, WHAT THE HELL?"

Hermann put his cane down and tried, without success, to wipe the grin from his face. "Newton, those details can wait until the debriefing back at the Shatterdome. You are an insufferable Kaiju Groupie, even after they're gone."

"Shut up, Hermann. We've been over this already, like, a thousand times."

Herc intervened before the argument started going over well-worn ground. "Gents, knock it off. Go have a few drinks on me." He then turned back to the camera as Newt and Hermann left. "Mako, Raleigh, I'll see you back here in a few hours. I'm going to go back up Tendo on protecting some of that booze."

Raleigh laughed. "Thanks, Marshall. See you on the flight deck."

Mako put the tablet down, grabbed Raleigh's hand, and looked out the viewport at the ocean going by beneath the helicopter. _Sensei, I'll miss you…_

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Tink._

Mako shook her head to clear the memories, looked at the block of steel, and gave a startled "eep!" as she realized it had gotten dangerously close to being ruined by becoming too cold during the forging process. She shoved it back into the furnace, breathing a sigh of relief.

Raleigh came over and massaged her shoulders, a worried look on his face. "You okay? You kinda zoned out there for a bit."

Mako nodded, grabbing a nearby towel to wipe off the sweat on her face. "I'm fine, Raleigh. Just… remembering. And I almost ruined the steel. Another thirty seconds, and it would have gotten cold enough to ruin the whole process."

Raleigh let her go, looking puzzled. "It's that sensitive to temperature changes? Then what if you need to, I dunno, go get something to eat?"

Mako's musical laugh filled the now-empty repair bay. "Not _that_ sensitive, but yes, it can make a remarkable difference. Here let me show you how you work the steel." She pulled the steel block back out of the furnace as it glowed yellow, set it on the anvil, and grabbed Raleigh's hands with hers. "Pick up the hammer, then strike the steel as if you were driving a nail into wood. But not as hard as if you were trying to break concrete with a sledgehammer. Start at the center, then work in a spiral outwards and clockwise."

Raleigh did as he had been instructed, and the sound of hammer on steel once again filled the air.

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Mako watched Raleigh work the metal. _Not bad for a first time. My father would have liked him. He's already found the balance between force and finesse._ "Good. Now apply a little bit of a forward motion to it as you repeat the pattern, but go from the outside to the center."

Raleigh started the new pattern, and the now-orange steel bathed them in a warm glow. _I see why she likes this. It's actually kind of fun!_ "How long until we need to reheat it?"

"Soon. See how it's getting darker in color and intensity?"

"Yeah."

"Once it turns as red as the morning sun, we'll put it back in the furnace."

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Raleigh stopped hammering as he recognized the color Mako had spoken of. He placed the steel, now looking more like a bar than a block, back into the furnace. Then he paused as a confused look spread across his face. "Wait, how did I know…?"

Mako grinned. "It must have been something that bled through from a Drift. Well done, by the way. You're learning quickly."

Raleigh shrugged. "I have a good teacher."

They both stood together, silent for a few moments, watching the steel heat up again.

Mako leaned on Raleigh, sighing. "I'm finally getting tired. What time is it, anyways?" She grabbed her watch. "Nearly four in the morning. Want to pick this up later?"

Raleigh stretched. "Sure. Meet for lunch first?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Mako shut off the furnace, turned off the lights, and headed back towards her room with Raleigh. They walked silently for a few minutes, enjoying the eerie quiet of the nearly-abandoned Shatterdome. She looked around as they neared the elevator. "Do you think they'll turn this into a museum?"

Raleigh was silent for a bit. "Maybe," he replied. "God knows we need somewhere to show the world our story. What better place than here, where we made our last stand?"

They entered the elevator and headed up to the living areas, now nearly empty. With the Jaegers gone and the PPDC being stood down, it was to be expected. Only a few people remained. Some of the techs had been busy mothballing certain areas: unused repair bays, empty quarters, Scramble Alley. Other techs worked on emplacing new sensors at the Breach. It was still only a fraction of the force present four months earlier, though. They soon reached their rooms. They looked at each other, knowing what the other was thinking. _Not tonight._

Mako peeled off her tank top, fingering the still-healing scars around her right shoulder from where the circuitry suit had overloaded when Raiju tore Gipsy's right arm off. _And to think I once wanted these and was jealous of Raleigh for having them… Now I wouldn't wish them on anyone else._

She also still felt the phantom pains of the feedback from Gipsy from time to time, something Raleigh told her would fade with time. Mako hoped so. It could be irritating when they occurred while she was working on a project. _Or when I'm carrying a tray of food in the cafeteria… That was a mess. Poor Herc had Jello in his hair!_ Mako giggled at the memory. _Oh well, today was a good day. Let's hope tomorrow goes just as well._

She stretched her arms, changed into some pajamas, and climbed into bed, staring into space in the direction of Raleigh's quarters across the hall. Soon, she was asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 2**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Crew quarters, corridor 47B_

_April 27, 2025_

_0930_

Raleigh awoke to a feeling of dread and fear. His head whipped around taking in his surroundings for a second before he became fully awake. _Ok, it's not me, so… Crud._ Raleigh pulled on a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt, left his room, and walked across the hall to Mako's room.

_Knockknockknock_.

The door opened slowly from the force Raleigh's knocks, revealing Mako in the middle of another nightmare. He sat down on the edge of the bed, waiting patiently for Mako to awaken. He didn't have to wait long.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Mako sat bolt upright, her arm flashing through the motion to deploy Gipsy Danger's Chain Sword… right into the side of Raleigh's head.

"OW!"

Mako snapped out of the nightmare, reality settling back in. "Oh, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

Raleigh rubbed his head, grinning. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just try not to drive the Chain Sword through my head again, okay?"

Mako blushed. "Did I wake you again? I'm so sorry." She looked at the clock. She sighed. "Oh well, might as well get up. I'm not going to be able to sleep after that."

"How bad was it?"

"Bad."

"If you want to talk about it, remember that I'm always here for you."

"Thank you, Raleigh." Mako hugged him.

"So, want to change that lunch date to a late breakfast?"

"Sure. Meet you there at 1015?"

"Sounds like a plan."

_Mess hall_

_1015_

Mako and Raleigh arrived in the mess hall together. It was still a shock to see the place so empty. They had their choice of tables, something that took some getting used to. Still, they sat at the old Gipsy Danger table.

As they sat down, Mako paused for a moment, a confused look on her face. She reached into her pants and pulled out a piece of confetti. Her eyes bulged. Raleigh looked at it and laughed.

"Yeah, I'm still pulling bits of confetti from the clothes I wore in New York. That was one hell of a parade."

Both of them sit silent for a moment, remembering their recent trip to New York…

_February 15, 2025_

_New York City_

The confetti fell so thick they could barely see to the next block. The crowd was deafening. Mako and Raleigh sat on the top of a HMMWV from the PPDC, flown in to New York just for this occasion, as it rolled through Manhattan on their way to the UN.

Raleigh leaned over to yell in Mako's ear so she could hear what he was about to say. "ARE YOU GETTING CONFETTI INSIDE YOUR CLOTHES TOO?"

Mako nodded slowly, then spat out a piece of paper that had drifted into her mouth. "WHY DO THEY DO THIS, ANYWAYS?"

Raleigh smiled. "LONG TRADITION. ROMEO BLUE GOT ONE AFTER THEIR FIRST KILL. WHEN WORLD WAR TWO ENDED, THE RETURNING SOLDIERS AND SAILORS WERE GREETED WITH THESE. WE SAVED THE WORLD, SO WE GET THE BIGGEST ONE EVER."

Mako rolled her eyes at the American logic, but went along with it. _When Herc told us we were going to New York, I didn't expect THIS! But he _is_ the Marshall, so we have to do this._

Both Mako and Raleigh looked at each other as they returned to the present.

"Were you…?"

"New York?"

"Yeah."

Mako got up and walked to the garbage can, seemingly intent on throwing away the little scrap of paper. But when she got to the point of throwing it away, she hesitated. _Why can't I bring myself to throw away this little tiny piece of paper?_ Instead, she stuck it into her pocket and returned to the table. _I'm sure I'll figure it out. Besides, there's still probably one or two more lurking in my laundry…_

_15 minutes later_

_Gipsy Danger repair bay_

As Mako started the furnace, Raleigh looked around the impromptu sworsmithing shop Mako had set up. There were several different hammers, a wedge-like tool that reminded Raleigh of the wedge used to split logs, an anvil, and a large trough of water. Scattered around were several pieces of scrap steel, including one that seemed oddly familiar…

Mako saw him staring at the piece of metal. "Yes, that's a piece of hull plate from Coyote Tango. It's low in carbon, so it's perfect for forming the heart of the blade."

Raleigh looked at her, curious. "I always thought that _katanas_ were made from a single piece of steel. They're made from more than one?"

"Correct. A simple _katana_, like the one we're working on, has a harder steel on the outside, and a heart of softer, more flexible steel. This allows it to be remarkably strong."

"Huh. Sounds like the Marshall. Armored, hardened outside, softer inside."

Mako paused for a moment, thinking. _He's right. I never thought about it that way before._ "I guess you're right."

"So, the steel we worked on last night… where'd it come from?"

"Herc gave me a scrap piece of Striker Eureka."

Raleigh nodded. "So the sword will be made from the two Jaegers that he rode in. I like it."

A sad smile crossed Mako's face. "Yes. I thought it would be fitting." She looked at the furnace, saw it was ready, then stuck the steel bar from earlier into the furnace.

Behind a tool chest, Raleigh spied a little bit of red. "What the…" Getting down low, he found out what it was: a Dixie cup. He pulled it out its hiding spot, chuckling. "Mako, look what I found!"

Mako turned around, saw Raleigh holding the cup, and burst into a fit of giggles. "That was one crazy party, wasn't it?"

"Man, my head hurts from just THINKING about that hangover…"

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_LOCCENT_

_January 13, 2025_

_0100_

The party had been raging for hours, and showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The sound of fireworks filling the skies over Hong Kong managed to leak through from time to time. The main floor of the Shatterdome was a sea of people celebrating the success of Operation Pitfall. The LOCCENT, however, was much more somber. Raleigh turned away from the window overlooking the main floor, and walked back towards the senior staff. Newt was passed out in a rolling chair, a Dixie cup of schnapps not far from his left hand. Hermann was singing some German song, terribly off-key, and wandering out the door into the hall beyond. Tendo was on the phone with his wife Angela and his year-old son, cup of coffee in hand. Mako and Herc were both drowning their sorrows, Mako with her fourth beer and Herc with what appeared to be a bottle of rotgut vodka from the crew of Cherno Alpha. _Man, Pentecost wasn't kidding. Those guys CAN get anything._

Tendo hung up the call, put the coffee cup down, and grabbed a bottle of beer from the nearby cooler. He walked to the window overlooking the floor of the Shatterdome, took a pull from his beer, and stared into space. "Raleigh, what do you think we do next?"

Raleigh walked over next to Tendo and took a sip of his beer before responding. "The usual media circus at first. I mean, how often do two people save the world? The media's gonna be all over me and Mako."

Herc sauntered over as only a thoroughly drunk Australian could. "Yep. You're going to be in high demand for media appearances for the next few MONTHS, or until something else comes along. After that? Who knows? We nearly bankrupted several major economic powers fighting this war, there's the bloody Wall that now needs to be dealt with, and the Church of the Breach is going to be PISSED. I wouldn't be surprised if they started a holy war against us for what we did today."

Raleigh paused for a moment. "You really think they'd try to kill us?"

Tendo sighed. "Who knows, man? No one has any experience in this." He looked down at the floor. "Makes me miss Pentecost a lot now. He'd know what to do."

Herc chuckled. "Starting with busting some heads over the mess downstairs."

The three of them laughed, then went back to sit with Mako.

Raleigh held up his beer. "To Stacker Pentecost."

Herc and Tendo echoed Raleigh. "To Stacker Pentecost."

Mako paused for a moment, then replied, "To _sensei."_

_Clink._

Raleigh shook his head to clear the memories away. He crushed the cup and threw it at a nearby trashcan. It bounced off the rim and into the can. _Three from downtown_, he thought.

Mako was watching the steel intently, so Raleigh headed over to join her. As soon as he arrived, she handed him the hammer and pulled the steel from the furnace. "Ready?" Raleigh nodded. Mako set the steel on the anvil, then looked at Raleigh. "Just like last time. Focus on stretching the bar out."

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._


	3. Chapter 3

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 3**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Gipsy Danger Repair Bay_

_April 27, 2025_

_1417_

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Raleigh set the hammer down, and Mako put the steel back into the furnace. She looked at it as it reheated, going from the color of the morning sunrise to a bright yellow. "We're close. Just one more round and it should be ready."

"So, should I get that wedge tool yet?"

"Not yet… But soon."

Raleigh nodded, grabbed his water bottle, and took a long drink from it. This was proving to be a time-intensive process. He then put the bottle back down, picked up the hammer again, and stood at the anvil. "Ready when you are."

Mako nodded once, removed the steel bar from the furnace, and quickly placed it on the anvil. Raleigh began to hammer away at it again, drawing it out a little bit longer. Finally, Mako saw it reach the desired length. "That's good." She grabbed the bar and stuck it back into the furnace. "Want to go get some lunch?"

"Sounds good."

The two Rangers walked back to the mess hall. Mako realized that she still had that piece of confetti in her pocket. _And now I know just what to do with it…_

Raleigh and Mako grabbed some food and headed out to the helipad to enjoy the spring afternoon. With the reduced helicopter traffic in and out of the Shatterdome, several helipad landing spaces had been turned into either Kwoon areas or, in the case of the one Mako and Raleigh headed towards, an outdoor dining area. They sat down and watched the ship traffic in the harbor as they ate.

After a while of silently eating and enjoying each other's company, Raleigh decided it was time to ask a question that had been nagging him for weeks. "Mako?"

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking about this for a few weeks now, and I have a question for you."

Mako looked at Raleigh, her face a mix of curiosity and confusion.

Raleigh paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Where do you think you'll go, now that the PPDC is being stood down?"

Mako blinked, not sure what to make of the surprise question. _For a moment there, I was positive he was going to ask something else. Something more… Hollywood. _"I… I haven't really given it any thought." She stared out at the seagulls wheeling around in the sky near the spot where they had killed Leatherback over four months prior. The bones were still being broken down and removed. "I guess I hadn't expected to ever make it this far. Closing the Breach."

Raleigh looked out over Hong Kong, remembering the fight with Otachi. "I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do in the future. Going back to Alaska is certainly on my to-do list. Beyond that, I'm not sure." He paused for a moment, then looked at Mako. "Maybe get back in touch with my sister."

Mako continued to stare out over the harbor. Raleigh could almost hear the gears turning in her head. _Hell, I can almost hear her thoughts. Ghost-Drifting is weird like that._ He scooted around the table and sat next to her. She leaned on him, seemingly from habit. Her mind was clearly elsewhere. Raleigh sat and waited.

A few minutes passed before Mako shook her head slightly as if to clear away a mosquito. "Sorry about that. I was thinking about what I should do with my future."

"No worries. I figured that's what was going on."

Mako stood up from the table and grabbed her tray. "Want to go work on making the first fold?"

"Sure."

They walked back to the hangar, unconsciously holding hands.

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_LOCCENT  
April 27, 2025_

_1614_

Max trundled up to Herc, dropped his ball, and whined. The message was clear: _Boss, let's go play!_

Herc looked up from his work, then down at Max. "You silly dog. Let's go." He stood up, grabbed the Chuckit (A gift from Tendo to make it easier to throw the ball for Max while his collarbone healed), and whistled at Max as he headed out the door of the LOCCENT. "Come on, boy." Max trotted along at Herc's heels.

Herc and Max entered the elevator, and Herc hit the button for the Shatterdome floor. Max sat down and looked at Herc, expectant. Herc stooped down and scratched Max between the ears. "Who's a good boy?" Max barked once. "Yes you are!"

_Ding._

The doors of the elevator opened up, and Max sauntered out onto the floor, looking around for all the people that he was used to seeing. Confused, he turned back to Herc, whining.

"I know, they're all gone, aren't they, boy. Here, GO FETCH!"

Max tore down Scramble Alley after the ball. Herc chuckled as Max skidded on the polished floor trying to turn around at speed. After a quick jog to the ball, Max came galumphing back happily towards Herc. Herc picked up the slobbery ball with the Chuckit, wound up, and once again launched the ball down Scramble Alley. Max tore off after it.

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Max and Herc both stopped, seeking the source of the sound. _It seems like it's coming from Gipsy's bay… What's going on?_ Herc and Max both converged on the source of the sound, curious. Still, the sound continued.

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Max waited for Herc, then they both rounded the corner to see Mako stabilizing a wedge of hardened steel, while Raleigh took what looked like a sledgehammer to it, driving it into a bar of yellow-hot steel. Herc and Max looked at each other for a moment, then observed the two Rangers at work.

Mako spoke first. "Ok, that's good. Get ready to bend it."

Raleigh took the proffered wedge, set it aside, then took position with the sledge. "Ready."

Mako slid the bar of steel, now a bright orange, away from her until the notch they had just driven into it was aligned with the side of the anvil. "Go."

Raleigh wound up, then in a shower of sparks, delivered a powerful blow to the end of the bar off of the anvil, bending it at a right angle to the remaining piece. Mako expertly flipped the bar over, and Raleigh drove the tag end flat with two more precise blows. Mako then slipped it back into the furnace. "One down, three more to go for this piece."

Herc stepped into the work space. "Impressive work, you two."

Raleigh and Mako looked like they had been hit with cattle prods as the snapped to attention. "Sir."

"At ease, Rangers. You've earned some downtime." At this, Max happily swaggered over to Mako and offered her his ball, which she promptly tossed out into Scramble Alley. As expected, Max tore off after it, barking happily. Herc grinned at his beloved dog, then grimly turned to business. "As you know well, the Jaeger Program cost trillions of dollars. Yes, it did save the human race, but at the cost of nearly bankrupting several major economies." Herc paused for a moment to let that sink in. "The Secretary General has asked me to find some way to demonstrate that at least _some_ of the R&D that was put into making the Jaegers has applications in the post-Kaiju world."

Max came back, dropped the ball at Raleigh's feet, and whimpered at him. "Okay, go get it!" The ball disappeared into Crimson Typhoon's old home, Max in hot pursuit. Raleigh thought for a moment. "Wasn't the Pons first intended to be a man-machine interface for a single operator, before we realized the neural load of operating a Jaeger?"

Herc nodded. "Yes, and Pentecost was actually one of the first to try out a basic version of it. A single arm, mind you, but yes. What's the point?"

Raleigh smiled. "Better prosthetic limbs for amputees, sir. Ones that respond to the thoughts of their users. I'm sure there are plenty of people who could use them."

Mako chimed in as well. "What about the power supply systems for the Mark IV and V Jaegers? They're far more safe and stable than a nuclear reactor. Baseline power generation at nuclear power plant levels without the meltdown risk or the stigma of nuclear power."

Herc grinned. "See, that's why I keep you around. Both of you have brought up some good points. I'll take them to Tendo and see what he can come up with. Ah, there you are, Max. C'mere, you rascal." Max flopped down at Herc's feet, worn out and happy. "I see the sword is coming along well?"

Mako nodded. "Thank you much for the steel. It means a lot to me."

"Least I could do for you."

Raleigh nodded at Herc's shoulder. "How's the collarbone doing?"

Herc sighed. "Taking its sweet time to knit itself back together. Downside of gettin' old. Bit of advice for you youngsters: Don't get old. It's no fun." He winked at them and turned to leave. "C'mon, Max, want some food?"

At the mention of food, Max got off the floor and tore off towards the elevator. Herc shook his head. "That dog has a second stomach instead of a brain, I swear." He walked off after Max.

Mako and Raleigh laughed heartily as they pulled the block of steel out of the furnace. Without a word, they looked at each other and nodded.

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._


	4. Chapter 4

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 4**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Crew Quarters, Corridor 47B_

_April 28_

_0257_

Mako awoke with a start, recognizing the feelings bleeding through the Ghost Drift. _Raleigh's having another nightmare. I should check on him._ Mako pulled on some sweatpants and a tank top, and padded silently across the hall. As usual, Raleigh's door was unlocked. _It feels like another Alaska nightmare. He's cold, alone, and in pain._ Mako quietly eased the door open, stepped into the room, and eased the door shut behind her.

Raleigh was wound up in his sheets, tossing and turning, muttering something in his sleep. Mako debated whether or not to touch him for a few moments. _What could it hurt? If it reassures him, he'll calm down and go back to sleep. If it wakes him up, the nightmare stops. Either way, he can calm down and maybe go back to sleep. It's the least I can do._

Mako sat down on the side of Raleigh's bed, grasping his right hand between both of hers. "It's okay, Raleigh," she whispered, "it's just a memory." She thought back to their first Drift, and with a smile, whispered in his ear, "It's just a memory. Don't chase the rabbit." Raleigh stopped thrashing about, but still muttered something unintelligible. The emotions she felt emanating from him became less intense, but were still there. She stayed at his side and looked at Raleigh's rather Spartan room. _Even mine is more ornate than his. And I though my room was simple!_

His desk had several stacks of photos on it, presumably ones that he had decided to discard. Mako let go of Raleigh's hand, and walked over to the desk. Many of the photos were of his brother Yancy. _He's letting go. Moving on…_ Mako looked around some more, and saw a small strip of photos stuck to the wall. She walked over to get a better look. Some were obviously years old, from Raleigh's childhood. Others were from his time with Gipsy Danger in Los Angeles, Lima, and Anchorage. Raleigh and Yancy posed in front of the Hollywood sign; in some ruins, probably Incan; and having a snowball fight with some techs. But sitting in the place of honor, in the center of all the photos, was one printed just a few weeks ago.

_The celebration photo they took as we stepped off the chopper,_ Mako realized. Soaked from head to toe in champagne, grinning like idiots, on top of the world. Happy. Whole.

Raleigh stirred, and Mako turned to check on him. Not surprisingly, he was now awake. Mako blushed, bowed deeply, and turned to leave. "I'm sorry to have woken you, Raleigh."

Raleigh reached out and caught her hand. "Don't be." He looked her in the eye. She looked back. "Thank you."

Mako didn't know she could blush more than she was already, but apparently it _was_ possible, since she was doing so now. Raleigh let her hand go, and she bolted out the door and across the hall. _I know I have feelings for him, and he for me. We both felt it in that last Drift… So why am I so nervous about this?_ Mako rolled over and tried to sleep, but her mind kept coming back to the photo on Raleigh's wall. Why was she so fixated on it? Yes, they had been kissing, but that was out of joy, not an expression of love, wasn't it? Or was it? Mako's head reeled. Her mind drifted back to that afternoon, trying to make sense of it all…

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Helicopter landing pads_

_January 12, 2025_

_Mid-afternoon_

The door of the helicopter opened, and Mako and Raleigh were nearly drowned under a veritable tidal wave of champagne and noise. Through the crowds of cheering techs and soldiers, Mako could see the senior staff approaching, a photographer in tow. _They HAD to bring a photographer… Well, I would have too, if I were in Herc's shoes._ Tendo got to them first, and wrapped both of them in bear hugs, being mindful of the bandages on their shoulders that covered their fresh circuitry suit burns. Newt and Hermann stood off to the side, looking proud and smug, respectively. Finally, Herc and the photographer worked their way through the crowds. Herc motioned the crews to quiet down. Then, he cleared his throat, stood in the doorway of the helicopter, and began to speak.

"Well done, all of you. Yes, it's a bittersweet victory, but a victory nonetheless. And I'll take a victory any damn day of the week." A cheer rose from the crowds, and Herc waited for it to die down. "We've lost many people over the last twelve years. Friends, family, coworkers." Herc paused to choke back the emotion in his voice. "But they'd tell us now, Marshall Pentecost excluded, to go have one HELL of a party. After all, it's not every day you help save the world." Another roar from the crowds. "Right now, don't mourn the lives lost; celebrate the lives yet to be lived. Celebrate the lives SAVED!"

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other and kissed. The camera flash went off, the crowds cheered themselves hoarse, and they were once again doused in champagne.

Mako smiled at the memories. _And Raleigh is asleep without any further nightmares._ She laidn back and closed her eyes, and finally sleep came to her.

_Crew Quarters, Corridor 47B_

_April 28, 2025_

_0930_

Mako was getting dressed after her shower when a knock came from the door. "One moment, please."

Newt's voice came from the other side. "No worries. I'll go talk to Raleigh first."

Mako paused half of the way through lacing up her right boot. _What does Newt want with both of us? Some sort of Drift experiment with his new Geizler Array? More questions about Operation Pitfall? Someone to test his new musical ideas on?_ She finished lacing her boots and stepped outside. Raleigh and Newt turned to face her. The look on Raleigh's face spoke volumes. _It's a Drift test. Oh well, best get it out of the way._ "What is it, Newt?"

Newt looked at his feet for a moment, as if he was working up the courage to ask the pretty girl at school out on a date. "I… kinda need some baseline data for the experiments with the new Pons variant I'm working on. The one I used to Drift with the Kaiju. I'm calling it the Geizler Array because, you know, I kinda made it, and if it works…" Newt trailed off as he realized he was rambling. He looked at Raleigh for backup.

Raleigh sighed, and took over the explanation. "We need to perform a lab Drift to help calibrate the interface for future experiments. We're the only remaining confirmed Drift-compatible team on hand right now." He shrugged. "It's one of Herc's Return On Investment projects."

Mako looked at Raleigh, then Newt. _There isn't any escaping this. It's now, or later. Might as well do it now._ "Okay, when do you want to start?"

Newt hesitated for a moment. "See, uh, that's the thing: the test isn't ready yet. I just wanted to make sure that you would be okay with it before I started making preparations. Because I didn't want to waste time…"

Mako held her hand up to hush Newt. "I understand. Just let us know when you're ready."

Visibly relieved, Newt headed towards the elevator. Raleigh and Mako watched him go, then headed towards the mess hall. They walked for a few minutes in silence before Raleigh spoke.

"So, about last night… Thank you for being there for me. It's been a huge relief having someone who understands what I've been through to be there for me."

Mako stopped, looking confused.

Raleigh turned around to face her. "You okay?"

Mako sighed. "Let's talk about it over breakfast, okay?"

Raleigh nodded his agreement, and started walking again, as Mako instinctively grabbed his right hand with her left. They continued to the mess hall without a word. It had become a habit while on their media blitz, going all around the world. It was also part game, as they tried to push the limits of the Ghost Drift and see if they could pick up anything from the other. Usually, there wasn't even an emotion to be felt. Today, however, Raleigh was feeling a storm of emotions coming from Mako. He said nothing about it, since they had already agreed to talk about it over breakfast.

As they entered the mess hall, the smell of fresh pancakes and waffles washed over them, bringing back fond memories of childhood to Raleigh. Mako felt some of the emotions that it triggered. Comfort, love, family. _Something I wish to have in the future._ Raleigh and Mako loaded up their trays with food, then hit the "patio" overlooking the harbor. They settled onto the same bench as yesterday.

Raleigh looked at Leatherback's bones, still towering over the port. "Looks like they finished the scaffolding on that rib. It's going to be interesting to see them demolish the skeleton."

Mako looked over to the port as well, remembering the fight like it was yesterday. She grinned as she said, in her best imitation of Raleigh, "I think this guy's dead, but, let's check for a pulse."

Raleigh roared with laughter at her impression, as she had done a fantastic job of it. Mako laughed along with him for a while, before digging into their breakfasts for a few minutes. Soon, however, it was time for the promised talk.

Mako set her dishes aside, and Raleigh followed suit. "Ok, you said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

Mako gathered her thoughts for a moment. "Yes. About last night… I'm sorry I ran out on you. It's just that… My mind was all over the place."

Raleigh nodded silently.

Mako gulped and continued. "You know I've never had a real romantic relationship before…" She stopped, blushing.

Raleigh sighed. _The Talk._ He'd heard the stories about how the Kaidanovskies Talk had gone. But that was the only example he had to go off of, and his relationship with Mako was _very_ different from the late Russian couple. "Yeah, I kinda gathered that in our Drifts. What's the point?"

Mako looked at her feet, embarrassed. "I… I looked at the picture on your wall of us after we landed…"

Raleigh nodded. _So that's the problem._ "Look, that's the official photo…"

"It's not that… it's the feelings behind it. We were on top of the world. We'd survived. I was living in the moment." She froze up, choking on the emotions threatening to overwhelm her again.

Raleigh took her hands in his. "So was I. You know that better than anyone else."

Mako nodded. "It's just… I'm not sure if there was anything deeper behind it." She looked at Raleigh. "And that's what scares me. _What if there is something more than just the Drift that's bringing us together?_"

Raleigh wasn't quite sure how to respond. This was new ground for him, too.

Mako continued. "I know I have feelings for you that I can't sort out. Friendship, certainly. Respect, sure. But there's something that I can't quite figure out that's bothering me." She looked out onto the Pacific Ocean, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I wish _sensei_ were here. He'd know what to do."

Raleigh laughed. "He'd probably give me a kick in the ass for leaving his daughter an emotional wreck." Mako laughed. Then, a light went on in his head. "Hey."

Mako looked at him.

"There is someone who you can turn to: Dr. Lightcap."

Mako's face brightened. "You're right. Or I could kick your ass for _sensei._ Care to dance?"

Raleigh got up and grabbed their dishes. "Of course. Can't have you getting rusty, now can we? OW!"

Mako giggled as she dodged a playful return swipe from Raleigh. "Now, now, Mr. Beckett. Only on the mats in the Kwoon."

"You're the one who threw the first punch."

"Point."

They reentered the Mess Hall, once again holding hands.


	5. Chapter 5

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 5**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Outdoor Kwoon mats_

_April 28, 2025_

_1030_

Mako and Raleigh put the _hanbo_ staffs back into the storage racks and put their boots back on. Both were grinning, and flushed from their recent workout.

Mako worked her right shoulder a little to try to drive away the phantom pain of Gipsy's lost arm. "That was mean of you to take advantage of the phantom pains."

Raleigh bowed his head, looking regretful and sheepish. "Yeah, it was. I'm sorry, but it was instinctual. I saw an opening and I took it." He stepped behind Mako and began to gently massage her shoulder. "Feeling any better?"

"Yes. Thank you." Mako began to walk back towards the entrance to the Shatterdome, then stopped and turned to face Raleigh. "I've been thinking about the question you asked me yesterday…"

"And?"

"I…" She choked up, not sure how to express the thoughts she had had not long ago while waiting for their pancakes to be finished. _I want to have a family at some point. With who, though?_ "Never mind. Later."

Raleigh shrugged. "Okay. It's not a time-critical question. I still haven't figured out what I want to do in the future either."

Mako nodded, focused inward. _Yes, I have feeling for Raleigh, and I know he has them for me. But are they love, or something else? This is so hard._ Her hand drifted into her pocket, where she found the little piece of confetti still waiting. She made a decision. "You know that piece of confetti I found yesterday morning?"

Raleigh smiled. "The one you didn't throw away? What about it?"

"I want to make it a part of the sword."

"How?"

"The two halves of the steel we folded haven't been welded together yet. I'll slip it in and let it become a part of the steel. _Sensei_ should have been a part of the parade, and this way, he can still have a memento from it."

Raleigh nodded, understanding where she was going with this. _It's like the pictures were for me: A way to cope with the loss, and a way to help let go of some of the sorrow and grief._ He followed Mako back towards Gipsy's repair bay. However they didn't make it all the way back before Raleigh's cell phone rang.

"_I come from a land down under…"_

Raleigh sighed and took the call. "Sir."

Mako stopped, giggling inwardly at Raleigh's choice of ringtone to represent Herc Hanson. _I wonder what mine is. Shibuya Pop?_ She smiled for a moment.

Raleigh's face changed to one of surprise. "Now? Uh-huh. Hang on, I'll be there in about three minutes. Do you want Mako there too? Ok, on my way." He hung up. "Herc has a project for me to work on. You going to be okay alone for a while?"

Mako nodded, curious. "What kind of project?"

"He didn't say."

"Go, I'll be fine."

Raleigh scooped her up in a hug, then kissed her on the forehead. "Don't have too much fun without me!" He then took off jogging down the hall.

Mako stood there, rooted to the spot as surely as if Raleigh had put superglue on her boots. _He kissed me. Not in the heat of the moment or as celebration. He loves me…_

_And I love him. It all makes sense now. That feeling I get around him, when he's there for me when I wake up in a nightmare… or when I'm watching over him like this morning… It's love._

_I'm in love._

Mako practically skipped down the hallway to her workspace, head in the clouds.

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_LOCCENT_

_April 28, 2025_

_1045_

Raleigh knocked on the doorframe. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

Herc looked up from the computer. "Come in, Raleigh. I know I was a little vague about the project, but it's still being pieced together." Herc pulled up a computer diagram of what appeared to be the Shatterdome, but several changes were clearly visible. "We're going to turn the Shatterdome into a museum."

Raleigh came in closer to the image. "Is that…?"

"Crimson Typhoon? Yeah. We're going to put her on display to show what a Kaiju could do to even the toughest Jaegers." Herc slewed the image around a bit. "But this is what I want your help with."

Raleigh saw the item Herc was talking about. _Gipsy's left arm._ "What about it, sir?"

Herc turned to Raleigh. "I'm sending you to Alaska to oversee the recovery. Once you and the arm get back, Tendo will lead a team in cleaning the arm and making it ready to display." The holographic display changed to a map of Gipsy's engagement with Knifehead. A point of light pulsed, with a label that Raleigh couldn't read from the angle he was at. "We know where the arm is. We're just waiting for a patch of decent weather to go perform the salvage."

Raleigh stopped and thought for a bit. _It would be a fantastic piece to have on display. Nothing like that and Crimson Typhoon's wrecked chassis to attest to the power of a Kaiju._ "What's the expected window to head out and recover the arm?"

Herc grimaced. "It's still more than a month out. We have to wait for the weather to wind down and the seas to calm. After all, the arm weighs a lot, and recovering it in the best of circumstances would be tricky. The weather out in the Gulf of Alaska right now is just too dangerous." He paused to scratch Max between the ears. "I only need you there for PR. All the actual planning and management will be handled by the salvage team. So, what do you say?"

Raleigh pondered the task. _It's an easy job, and I get a chance to go back to Alaska._ _No brainer. _"Sure."

"Outstanding. I'll make sure to give you a little more heads-up once the job gets closer."

"Anything else, sir?"

Herc stood up, and looked out over the Jaeger bays. "I'm going to be blunt about this, Raleigh. I've seen how you and Mako get along. And since Stacker isn't here anymore, I see it as my place to keep an eye on his daughter for him."

"Sir?"

"I know that you have feelings for her, and her for you."

"Yes, sir."

Herc turned around to face Raleigh. "You break her heart, and you'll have to answer to me."

Raleigh gulped. "Yes sir."

Herc grinned. "Relax. Unlike Stacker, I'm not going to kill you. Just give you a good bollocking. Now, go work on that sword. The memorial isn't going to wait."

Raleigh relaxed and exited the LOCCENT. _Great. Now I've got Herc watching me and Mako as I try to sort this out._ He reached the elevator, paused for a moment, and then decided to take the stairs in order to give himself more time to think.

_Gipsy Danger Repair Bay_

_1055_

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Mako hammered the metal together, trapping the ashes of the parade confetti inside the block of steel. She hummed happily along to the Shibuya Pop song playing in her earbuds. _I wonder what the project Raleigh will be working on is about…_

"Hey."

Mako pulled out an earbud, put the hammer down, and put the steel back into the fire. Turning to Raleigh, she grinned and pushed some of her hair out of her face. "What's the project?"

Raleigh sat down on a nearby toolbox, hands in his pockets. Mako came to join him. "I'm going to Alaska for a few days sometime next month. We're fishing Gipsy's old left arm from the Gulf of Alaska and bringing it back here."

Mako cocked her head in confusion. "Why? Gipsy's gone. What use is the arm?"

Raleigh turned around and gestured at the Shatterdome. "This is all going to be turned into a museum. Some of the Jaegers are going to be pulled from Oblivion Bay and brought here for display. Crimson Typhoon is at the top of the list, since she's one of the least contaminated."

Mako looked around. _There's space for a LOT of museum displays. Maybe they'll put the skeleton from Leatherback over in one of the old Jaeger bays, and used the service gantries to allow visitors to get up close…_ Ideas swirled in Mako's head for the museum.

Raleigh once again could feel the gears turning in Mako's mind, so he stood up, grabbed the hammer, pulled the steel from the furnace, and set to work.

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Mako snapped out of her reverie and watched Raleigh working the steel. _Perhaps _sensei_ would have approved of him under more fortunate circumstances._ On a whim, she decided to ask a question that was bothering her. "Raleigh, I have to ask you something."

Raleigh kept working the steel. "Anything."

"Do you love me?"

_CLANG!_

Raleigh completely missed the steel block and hit the anvil instead. In his surprise, he dropped the hammer, which then fell to the floor. He paused for a moment to look at her, confusion written on his face. "What?"

Mako figured that he would be rather surprised. After all, it _was_ an unusual question. "Do you love me?"

Raleigh put the steel back in the furnace and picked up the hammer. _I did NOT see that coming. What brought that on?_ He looked at the face of the hammer, inspecting it for damage. "I've never put it that way to myself before. I've always considered it a very close friendship. But, yeah, I guess I do." He blushed. "Do you?"

Mako got off the toolbox and walked over to Raleigh. She looked him in the eyes, pausing for a moment. "Yes, Raleigh. I do love you."

"Okay… So now that we've both admitted that, I have to ask: What the heck brought that on?" _Wait… I kissed her on the forehead before I went to see Herc. Was that it?_

Mako saw the light go on in his head and grinned. "Did you figure it out?"

"Yeah… I do. I didn't even think about giving you that kiss. It just… felt right." He scooped her up into a hug. "Is that okay?"

"Yes."

"So that's the reason you've been so wound up lately. You weren't sure about… us."

Mako looked up at Raleigh and nodded. "This is new to me."

"To be honest, this is the first serious relationship I've ever been in, too."

"I know." Mako sighed. "Let's just take it one step at a time and see where it goes."

"Sounds good to me."

They held each other for a few moments more before stepping back. Raleigh then blanched as he realized something. "Oh no… Pentecost must be rolling in his grave."

Mako slugged him in the shoulder, hard. "You know he doesn't actually _have_ a grave."

"It's a figure of speech, Mako."

"Well, I think he would have accepted it with time."

Suddenly, Mako's cell phone went off, the ring tone some sort of techno music. She sighed as she pulled it out to answer. "Hello, Newt. Yes. Yes. Slow down, I can't understand…" She sighed again. "Hang on, Raleigh and I can be in the lab in a few minutes. No, just explain it when we get there. Okay… Newton, take a breath, or else you will pass out. _We're coming, I promise._" She hung up.

Raleigh turned off the furnace and put the hammer back where he had grabbed it from. "Time for Newt's test?"

"Yes."

"Well, no sense in putting it off." Raleigh grabbed Mako's hand, and the two of them turned out into Scramble Alley, and walked toward the door leading back towards Kaiju Science.

High above, looking down from the windows of LOCCENT, Herc Hansen smiled and took a sip from his coffee. He could see the signs, even through the armored windows and from more than 150 meters away. _Good for them._

Tendo walked over with a tablet of documents. "Sir…"

"One moment, Tendo."

Tendo followed Herc's gaze. "Look at that… They make a cute couple."

"Yeah." Another sip from the coffee cup. "So, what am I signing away today, Tendo?"

"Couple of older SAR helicopters. They're going to Micronesia."

Herc walked back to his improvised office with the tablet. "Good. Hate to see them go to waste." He signed the documents, handed the tablet back to Tendo, and sat back down at his computer. _What I wouldn't give to be young and in love once more…_

Herc took another sip of his coffee, and turned back to his work.


	6. Chapter 6

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 6**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Former Kaiju Science labs_

_April 28, 2025_

_1100_

Mako and Raleigh walked through the door of the Kaiju Science lab and froze, surprise and confusion clearly written on their faces. Hermann's side of the lab was as spotless as ever, but Newt's side… Mako was tongue tied. _It was clean. _No Kaiju bits sitting all over the tables. No mad-scientist experiments running under the fume hood. Even the papers were stacked neatly on Newt's desk. "Wow."

Raleigh scratched his head. "Either Hermann finally snapped, or someone has hired a housekeeper for Newt." His gaze settled on a pair of recliners on Newt's side of the room. Each had a squid cap resting on the headrest and numerous sensor leads draped over the arms. Before he could take a step in the direction of the chairs, a voice came from behind them.

"Neither."

Mako and Raleigh whirled around, instinctively dropping into mirrored ready stances.

"Wow, I didn't realize I'd scared you that bad." Newt smirked and took a sip from his coffee cup. "Before you ask, yes, I cleaned up my side. There's no Kaiju anymore, so why study them or fantasize about them? After all, I'm not so fond of them after that encounter with Otachi. Thanks for the save, by the way. Anyways, you have no idea how elated Hermann was to see me cleaning up my side. If he could have danced, he would have been dancing all over the Shatterdome. Really, though, I think some of his cleanliness rubbed off in that Drift with Baby Otachi, 'cause it really started after we closed the Breach." He paused to take another sip of coffee, and Raleigh took the opportunity to jam a word in edgewise.

"So, the Drift experiment?"

"Oh, right, yeah." Newt darted over to the chairs and gestured to them. "Whichever side you're comfortable with."

Mako and Raleigh instinctively took the same sides as they had in Gipsy Danger. They slipped on the squid caps and laid back. Newt attached the leads to them. "These are to monitor vitals. I doubt anything unusual will happen, but it's better to be safe than sorry, right?" The two Rangers looked at him, concerned. "Okay. Here's how it's going to go. It's going to start out like a normal Drift. Once you get synched and the handshake is strong, I'm going to ask one of you to chase the RABIT."

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other, clearly not liking where this was headed. Raleigh spoke up. "You _do_ recall what happened last time one of us chased the RABIT."

"I do. Which is why I've configured the interface slightly differently than it had been in Gipsy. This time, you're not blindly chasing the RABIT. It's more like you're a hawk, hunting it, _herding it_ to a particular point. You'll be totally in control."

"You don't herd rabbits."

"Just bear with me, okay? Unlike last time, you can pull out at any time. Just say, 'I want out', and I'll end the handshake."

Raleigh looked at Mako. She shrugged. "No sense in not trying it." She turned to Newt. "Ready."

Raleigh laid his head back. _Might as well get it over with._ "Ready."

Newt picked up the remote, thumb poised over the button to start the handshake. _What did Tendo always say? Ah, yes._ "Prepare for Neural Handshake in 15… 14… 13…"

Raleigh spoke up. "Ready to step into my head, kid?"

Mako grinned. "Please, you first. Age before beauty, old man."

Raleigh laughed with Mako, then let his mind go blank.

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1…"

The universe imploded around the Rangers as the Drift took hold.

_Driftspace_

Raleigh cast the line out over the ri_ver-like curves in the metal_lic booming sound as the Conn P_od had been compromised water was spraying everywhe_re are we going Mo_ri, Mako please step forward and face the ca_mera flash as Jasmine took a pho_tograph this moment let me get the camera wait, what are those al_arms are going off, brace for impact Ma_ko, watch me work the two pieces of steel together they will make a sw_ord deploying will it be fast enough yes, it is let's get this s_on I love her just as much as if she were a son why is it so impo_rt no rationing we_ld the two steels toget_**her we are whole…**

_Kaiju Sciences lab_

Reality reasserted itself and both the Rangers eyes snapped open. Newt watched the neural handshake on a holographic monitor. _Wow, their neural activity is even higher than Baby Otachi's was! How can they withstand that and still drive a Jaeger? Incredible._ "Okay, handshake is strong and holding at 100%." He hit the "record" button on the Geizler Array, then looked back to Mako and Raleigh. "Alright. Who wants to chase the RABIT?"

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other. _I'll do it, Mako._

_Okay._

Raleigh closed his eyes and dragged up a memory from a recent TV interview.

_Driftspace_

_New York City_

_Studio 1A, 30 Rockefeller Center_

_January 23, 2025_

_0800 EST_

Mako and Raleigh looked around at the hustle and bustle of the studio. It was so much like the LOCCENT during a drop, with people running around checking monitors, talking into headsets, and wires everywhere. Raleigh was nervous. He looked at Mako. She looked beautiful, with the blue tips framing her face. Her uniform, however, was clearly uncomfortable for her. _I've never seen her wear one before. It doesn't look as good as the Drivesuit does._

Embarrassment radiated from Mako… _wait, not from her._ Raleigh turned around to see Mako behind him. This one was in her more usual cargo pants and t-shirt, not a uniform. _Right, this is a Drift. Wait, Did I just chase the RABIT?_ "Sorry, let me get back in control. I lost focus. I chased the RABIT."

_No you didn't lose focus. Remember, we're __supposed__ to chase the RABIT this time._ A sly grin spread across the real Mako's face.

Newt's voice sounded like God, coming from everywhere, yet nowhere. "No, don't reign it in, Raleigh. Chase the rabbit to your heart's content. Just remember, if you want to stop, just say, 'I want out'."

One of the techs came over to Memory Mako and Raleigh. "You're on in five minutes. Remember, you don't have to answer everything. If it's too uncomfortable, just… kind of shift in your seat and redirect the conversation." He looked over his shoulder. "Come on, let's get you seated."

Raleigh's form suddenly split in two: One in uniform, walking with Memory Mako, the other standing there in the t-shirt and cargo pants he was wearing in real life. Real Mako walked over to Real Raleigh.

"Well, this is new."

Newt's voice rang out in its God-like fashion. "Tell me what's going on. Remember, I can't see inside the Drift."

Real Raleigh looked around. Everything had was not in the line of sight of his Memory self began to blur and fade to black. "It seems like I can't see anything that I couldn't see when the memory took place."

"Where are you?

"New York, at that morning show interview. January 23."

"Great details. Those will help me interpret the recordings later. Keep going."

Mako chimed in. "Raleigh and I have been duplicated. One set is us, in the Drift. The other set is Raleigh's memory of the event. Although… Raleigh's face is blurred, and the back of his head doesn't exist." Mako walked around. "I'm walking over towards myself… We're on the… well, the interview couch." _What the…_ "The side of my face away from Raleigh is still there, though."

"Probably because he has it fixed in his memory from elsewhere."

The hosts of the TV show came over. One of them, a woman, came over and shook both of their hands. "Before we go on the air, I just want to say thank you for your service… and sacrifices." She looked at Mako as she said the last. Memory Mako's face darkened in sorrow. Memory Raleigh's anger flared. _Leave her alone. She's reminded of that every time we do an interview._

Real Mako was surprised by this, and turned to Real Raleigh with wide eyes. _I didn't realize you were so protective of me._

_You're the closest thing I have to a family now._

_What about Jazmine?_

Real Raleigh got a pained expression on his face. "I Want Out."

_Raleigh, I'm sorr…_

The Drift faded away.

_Kaiju Sciences lab_

"…rry."

Newt looked at Mako. "What?"

Raleigh pulled the leads off and yanked off the squid cap, and stormed out of the lab.

Mako, who had begun to sit up, flopped back in the chair, fighting back tears. _Raleigh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It just slipped out._

Newt gently removed the leads and squid cap. "You okay?"

Mako nodded, dazed. "I said something I shouldn't have. It really upset Raleigh."

Newt gave her a puzzled look. "Anything I can do?"

"No, Newt. But thank you for the offer."

Mako forced herself to get up from the chair and follow Raleigh, even though she just wanted to go run to her room and curl up. _Why did I say that? Is that even the right term in the Drift? "Saying" something? And how did I know about Jazmine? He's never spoken of her. Did I get a tiny fragment from him in the Drift? Whoever she is, there must be some seriously bad blood between Raleigh and this Jazmine to cause that reaction._

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Security walkway above Scramble Alley exit_

_5 minutes after Drift termination_

Raleigh sighed as he sat with his feet over the edge of the walkway. _Why did Mako have to bring up Jazmine? How did she know about her at all? My files, or the Drift?_

"Raleigh?"

Raleigh would recognize Mako's voice anywhere. He could also tell that she was _really_ upset. He didn't care.

Mako walked closer. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It just… slipped out."

"Leave me alone."

"Okay."

Mako turned around and walked a few meters down the walkway, then sat down with her feet over the edge.

Raleigh sighed again. _That's not what I meant by "leave me alone," Mako. But you knew that already. You know me better than anyone else in the world now. Better than Yancy, even._

They sat in silence, watching the traffic in Victoria Harbor.

Mako got up and walked towards Raleigh. He didn't protest. _What's the point? I'm going to have to explain this eventually. _He continued to stare out over the harbor.

Mako leaned down to whisper in his ear. "No pulse."

Raleigh's head whipped around. "What?"

Mako laughed as she stood back up.

Raleigh groaned. _Dang it, why is it so hard to be mad at her for long?_

She leaned back against the Shatterdome's structure. "Who's Jazmine?"

"My sister."

"Why is she such a sore point for you?"

"What is this, an interrogation?"

"Only if you make it into one. Which you seem intent on doing."

Raleigh gritted his teeth. "She never contacted us after Dad left. Never contacted me after Yancy died…" Raleigh paused. "She. Doesn't. Care. About. Me," he ground out.

"But you still consider her family, which is why I got that snippet in the Drift."

Raleigh sighed. "Yes, she's still family."

Mako shrugged. "So, why haven't you contacted her?"

Raleigh opened his mouth to say that he didn't care for her either, then stopped. _Mako's right. Why haven't I tried to reach out to her?_

Mako saw the shame creep across Raleigh's face. _I've done enough damage today._ She turned to leave.

"Wait."

She did.

"I'm sorry for being so rude after you brought up Jazmine. That was wrong of me."

Mako turned around. Raleigh looked sheepish. "Apology accepted."

Suddenly, the Kaiju sirens began to howl all across the Shatterdome. The two Rangers looked at each other in fear. _No, this can't be happening. Not possible._ They tore off towards the LOCCENT, afraid of what they would see when they got there.

All the while, the sirens continued to howl.


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's note:_ I've found that I can write for Mako easily, so I'm going to challenge myself to try and write more from Raleigh's POV. Also, you can expect to start to see some time skips in the near future as the sword progresses. Speaking of which, I need to drag Mako and Raleigh back to working on that soon.

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 7**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_LOCCENT_

_April 28, 2025_

_1130_

The Kaiju alarms continued to howl as Mako and Raleigh rushed into the room. The two Rangers looked at the displays, then at Tendo.

Tendo was clearly in a panic, trying to figure out what was going on. "You two!" He pointed at the Rangers. "Check every sensor you can. We need to find out what's going on."

Mako and Raleigh bolted to separate stations and pulled up feeds from the new sensor network. They began to go through them.

Herc stormed in, face dark with rage. "WHAT THE BLODDY HELL IS GOING ON?!"

Tendo paled. "I don't know, sir. The alarm system seems to think that there's a Kaiju emerging from the Breach."

"I thought the Breach was closed."

"I did too."

Mako then saw something that made her flop back in her chair, scoot across the LOCCENT, and kill the alarm.

Everyone turned to look at her.

"It was seismic activity in Challenger's Deep. An earthquake."

Raleigh put a camera feed up on the main display. It was grey.

Tendo sat down in a chair. "That camera is basically right on top of the Breach… or at least where it used to be."

Newt dashed in. "What's going on? Is there another Kaiju? Did the Breach reopen?"

Herc stared at the screen. "If it is an earthquake, would it stir up the silt on the bottom?"

Raleigh and Mako looked at each other, concerned. _The nuke might have glassed it all._

Tendo was scrambling to find something on the computer. "Aha! Samples taken from the site of the Breach revealed that, despite the nuclear detonation, there was still significant amounts of silt and sediment in the area. It was described as being a grey color." He hit a few buttons, and the camera feed went black. "If the Breach was open, that feed would now be an orange color." He slicked back his hair, calmer by the second.

Herc relaxed. "Well, good to know that the sensors work… and that it was a false alarm."

Raleigh thought for a second. "What if it hadn't been a false alarm?"

Everyone froze.

Herc slowly turned to face Raleigh, his gaze like ice. "Mr. Beckett. You had better pray that never happens, because that would be the end of the world… and all the sacrifices made over the last twelve years would have been for nothing."

Raleigh gulped.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir."

Herc smiled. "Good! Now, can you take Max for a walk? I have a phone call to make. Several, actually."

Raleigh and Mako both looked at each other and shrugged. Max sauntered over with his ball. His expression was easy to read. _Play?!_

Raleigh grabbed the ball from Max. "Come on, Max. Let's go play fetch in Scramble Alley."

_Scramble Alley_

_5 minutes later_

Raleigh wound up and threw the ball down Scramble Alley, and Max tore off in hot pursuit, barking joyfully the whole while. _Sometimes I wish I was a dog. Life seems simpler, and a heck of a lot more joyful._

Mako walked past, headed towards the workspace where she had been spending many of her waking hours the last few days. _Me too, I guess._

A whine at his feet snapped him out of his daze. Max sat at Raleigh's feet, ball in his mouth. "Who's a good boy?" He took the ball from Max and threw it down into Cherno Alpha's old repair bay. Max raced after it.

Mako reappeared in the corner of Raleigh's vision, bathed in a yellow glow. _She looks beautiful like that. Really makes her blue tips stand out, too._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Raleigh looked back down Scramble Alley to see Max swagger up to him, clearly worn out. "Alright, let's take you back to Herc."

Max laid down and gave Raleigh a pitiful look. _But I'm tired!_

Raleigh sighed. _Hate to do this to Herc, but this is the only way other than carrying him…_ "Food?"

Max predictably tore off towards the door, happily barking and once again full of energy. Raleigh shook his head and followed him._ After all, bulldogs can't operate elevators._

Herc was still on the phone with someone when Raleigh walked into the LOCCENT. "Yeah, I hear you on that one. I know we weren't as expensive as that bloody Wall. It's just that the Wall didn't get wrecked as often as a Jaeger did." A pause. "I was there, remember? Who put down Mutavore?" Another pause. "Uh-huh. Look, all I'm asking is just _look_ at the specs for these. They're the future of your field, mate. I'm offering you guys first crack at the tech because I trust you." Herc saw Raleigh and Max and held up a finger. _One moment._ "If you don't want it, fine. I've got three others lined up to talk to about this. It'll be your loss." Herc's eyes rolled and he groaned. "Whatever, mate. Just don't come crying to me when your company gets bit by this decision to turn down Jaeger Tech." He hung up. Max, sensing his master was upset, sauntered over, whining. "C'mere, you silly dog. You're at least smarter than those guys in Europe."

Raleigh turned to leave.

"Hang on, Raleigh. I need your opinion." Herc pulled out a chair and a dog biscuit, which he gave to Raleigh and Max, respectively.

Raleigh sat down. "About what, sir?"

Herc put his head in the palm of his left hand and rubbed his face. "I'm trying to pitch some of the Jaeger tech for use in the civilian market. The Pons, the digital plasma batteries… Hell, even some of the proprietary alloys we used to make the Jaegers strong enough to support their own weight."

"And?"

Herc sighed. "Not many companies are interested. Seems that the PR war we lost to the Wall has _still_ left us with a stigma. Even after we closed the Breach."

"I didn't know it was that bad."

"Yeah. Me neither… until today."

"What can I do?"

"Actually, it's not your help I need… It's Mako's. She's familiar with the human-machine interface used to drive a Jaeger. That's one of the technologies that I'm trying to pitch. We've got a few interested parties, but no takers yet. They want a demo first."

Raleigh got up and walked to the windows of the LOCCENT. He looked down on Mako, still bathed in the yellow glow of the furnace and steel. He watched her work for a moment. Then, an idea came to him. "Sir, I have just the thing…"

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Gipsy Danger repair bay_

_May 7, 2025_

_1045_

"You sure about this?"

"Yes. It is the only way."

"You positOW!"

"Newt, you are a pest some times. Now, Dr. Gottlieb, can you help me get this steel ready?"

"Hermann, stay back. She'll…"

"Newton, we've had this discussion… Don't call me…"

"By your first name, ten years of experience, blah blah blah. Yeah, I know."

Raleigh walked around the corner to see Mako wearing a squid cap and a circuitry sleeve on her right arm, which were both connected to a small, waist-mounted computer. This then fed to a robot arm about a meter away. Newt was hopping up and down, holding his right foot in his hands, and Hermann was sticking a bar of steel into the furnace. Raleigh could piece together what had gone down. He sighed, shook his head, and walked over to Mako. "You look good."

Mako blushed. "You're just saying that to make me relax."

Raleigh leaned in as if to kiss her, but Newt tripped over a loose cable and fell to the floor before he could.

"I could use a hand up… and a roll of duct tape." Newt looked at Mako and Raleigh, doubled over with laughter. _Gee, they're no help_. "Hermann?"

"Hmph."

"Guys? Please?"

Raleigh walked over and hoisted Newt off the floor.

"Thanks."

"No problem. And next time, stay away from her when she's stressed _and_ wearing combat boots."

"No need to tell me that again."

Hermann has started to walk towards the door leading to the elevators. "Come along, Raleigh. We're going to be late."

Raleigh walked to Mako, hugged her, then kissed her on the forehead briefly. "I love you."

Mako looked up at him. "Go, or you'll be late."

Raleigh raced after Hermann.

Newt sat down on a toolbox. "You know, you two make a cute couple."

Mako sighed. _He's out of reach. He learns quickly._ "Do we now."

Newt grinned wide. "Yep."

Mako gave a feral grin. "Good. Because you don't want to see us when we're angry."

Newt scrambled backwards. "Uh, yeah." He looked at his watch. "Right, checklist time. Let's get ready to demo that arm interface."

Mako grabbed a tablet with her left hand. "Item number one…"

_Shatterdome Helipad_

_1100_

The executive helicopter settled to the pad as the rotors whined to a stop. Onboard were the Chief Technology Officers of a half-dozen firms specializing in prosthetics and bionics. Herc had invited them to see the technology that the Jaeger program had used to interface man and machine.

Raleigh waited for them with Herc, Hermann, and Tendo. _We've had this tech for a decade. Why haven't we done this sooner? It would have been a PR coup for us. "Jaeger Tech allows boy with missing legs to walk again."_

The CTOs stepped out and onto the helipad. One of them was visibly green. Raleigh made a mental note to check on him later. Herc stepped forward to meet them. "Welcome to Hong Kong, and welcome to the Shatterdome. I know you want to see the Pons in action as soon as possible, so if you'll follow me…" He headed towards the doors. The CTOs followed.

Raleigh was about to step through the door when his phone rang out with a bit of Shibuya Pop. _Oh no… Please, don't be your shoulder having an episode. Not now… _"What's up?"

"Raleigh… I'm nervous."

_Come on, not the shoulder…_

"My right shoulder… I'm getting the warning signs of another episode."

_Damn._ "Do you think you can do the demo?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Hang on a sec. I'm on my way." He hung up, and sprinted after Herc. He reached him a few moments later.

"Raleigh, you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Raleigh leaned over to whisper in Herc's ear. "We all might be seeing them if I can't get Mako's shoulder to relax."

Herc paled.

The CTOs began to mutter to themselves.

Raleigh needed some way to buy him and Mako a few minutes. _Wait… Mr. Green Face… _"Sir, one of the VIPs doesn't look so hot."

Herc nodded slowly. "Go. You've got five minutes, tops."

"Thank you."

Raleigh slid to the back of the group, while Herc approached the airsick CTO.

"Hey, mate. You don't like helicopters, do you?"

"No. I hate them. They make me air sick."

"Tendo, don't we have something to help with nausea in the med bay?"

Tendo thought for a moment. "Yeah, but it's normally used to help treat more severe cases… like from a botched Drift."

The CTO turned to face Tendo. "I'll take it."

Herc winked at Raleigh, then led the group down a different corridor. "See, we've got a number of other things you might be able to market. Anti-radiation, anti-nausea, _really_ powerful headache treatments…"

Raleigh ran to the hangar as if his life depended on it. _It kinda does, in a way. We can't fail this demo…_

And for the first time in years, Raleigh found himself praying.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's note:**_This one's a little shorter, but the next one should make up for it. ;)

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 8**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Gipsy Danger repair bay_

_May 7, 2025_

_1107_

Mako grimaced. _I can't have it happen now. Not during the demonstration!_ "Gaaaaahhhhhhrrrgggg…"

"MAKO!" Raleigh came running into the work space. "Please tell me you're okay."

"Raleigh, I don't know if I can do this without triggering an episode."

"I know you can, Mako. Focus on your movements, okay? Just roll your shoulder a little."

Mako did so, despite the feeling of pins and needles in her arm. "Is the arm moving?"

Newt, who had been standing _well_ back from Mako, confirmed it. "Yeah, it's moving. Just like you are."

"Good." She clenched her hand, then looked over at the prototype. Its hand was clenched too. She rolled her wrist, and the robotic wrist followed. "Okay, Good so far…"

"_I come from a land down under…"_

Raleigh answered his phone while Newt snickered in the background, out of reach of Raleigh and Mako. "Sir?"

Mako realized that he was in reach of the arm, though… _Let's see…_

"Sir, we need a few more minutes… Uhm… Yeah, we'll do our best." He hung up.

Newt burst out laughing. "That's your ringtone for Herc? OW! Mako, not funny."

Mako giggled as she let go of Newt's arm.

Raleigh turned to her. "We've got one minute or less. _Can you do this?_"

Mako bit her lip. "Yes."

He walked over and hugged her again. "Anata wa, Mako o okonau koto ga dekimasu. Watashi wa, anata ga suru koto ga dekimasu shitte iru." _You can do this, Mako. I know you can._

Mako straightened up and squared her shoulders. "Anata wa tadashī. Soredewa, kore o yatte mimashou." _You're right. Let's do this._

Just as Raleigh backed away, Herc, Tendo, and the CTOs walked in, followed by a clearly tired Hermann. Herc nodded at Mako.

"Gentlemen, as you well know, Jaegers were commanded by the thoughts and movements of their pilots. The technology that drives this connection was derived from the work of Dr. Caitlin Lightcap. However, the Pons enables more than just the connection of man to machine: It allows the connection of machine to man." Mako proceeded to pick up a block of wood with the prosthetic prototype… even though the arm was behind her and unable to be seen. A respectful murmur rose from the CTOs. "As I just demonstrated, not only do I drive the arm and give it commands, it sends back information about its position and its environment. In particular, it gives haptic and force feedback, allowing me to do this." Mako then set the block of wood down… then reached over and picked up an egg. Without cracking it.

One of the CTOs spoke up. "We've been able to do that for years now."

Mako nodded. "Yes, but only with an invasive series of surgeries to redirect nerves and implant interfaces." She peeled off the circuitry sleeve. "This is now powered by brainwaves alone. No sensing muscle movements, no rerouted nerves. If you lose a limb, you never forget how to use it. It's all still in your brain. That is the beauty of the Pons."

Mako then proceeded to set the egg back into the cup she had pulled it from, then grabbed a rose. "I can't get textured from it yet, but I can get pressure and sharp points. So I'm still avoiding the thorns, even though they won't damage the arm."

Another CTO stepped forward. "Those are great examples, but I want to see something more… everyday."

Raleigh walked forward with two bowls of rice, each with a pair of chopsticks. He placed one in front of the arm, and the other in front of Mako .Mako expertly picked up the chopsticks with both arms at once, then proceeded to grab a bite-sized chunk of the rice. This drew a respectful murmur from the gathered CTOs.

The skeptical CTO had a gleeful look on his face. "That's impressive. No one has done that before with a prosthetic. Even Walter Reed Medical Center's experimental arms can't deal with chopstick like that." He turned to Herc. "I'm convinced. Thank you. You'll be hearing from the CEO soo-"

"AARGH!"

"MAKO!"

Raleigh raced to Mako's side as she fell over, grabbing her right shoulder. Raleigh caught her and eased her to the floor. "Newt, power it down!"

The CTOs were shocked. "What's happening?" "What's wrong with her?"

Herc sighed. "It's not an effect of the Pons, I promise. Mako and Raleigh were the pilots of Gipsy Danger during the mission to close the Breach. During that mission, Gipsy's right arm was torn off." He looked at Mako and Raleigh as Mako pulled her dress shirt off to reveal scars around Mako's right arm and shoulder. Raleigh began to work her shoulder carefully, helping restore the feeling to it. The CTOs gasped as they saw the scars. Herc continued. "This is one of the side effects. In a Jaeger, you feel any damage you take as pain. It makes you respond more quickly, I assure you. Imagine having your arm torn off. How painful would that be?" He paused to let it sink in. "Despite the lost arm being on Raleigh's side of the Jaeger, Mako seems to have taken the brunt of the physical and neurological damage from the loss of the arm. Our experts still can't figure out why."

Raleigh helped Mako to her feet. "You okay?"

"Yes, I am now." She turned to face the CTOs, bowed, pulled off the squid cap, and darted off, clearly embarrassed.

Raleigh shook his head in dismay, then took off after her. "Mako, come on. It's not that bad!"

Herc decided it was time to talk business again. "Gentlemen, if you'll follow me, we'll go to the LOCCENT to talk about some of the areas we're still improving on for this technology. Newt, come with us, please."

_Crew Quarters, Corridor 47B_

_1121_

"Mako! Please, wait up for just a moment!"

_She had failed. She'd seized up during the demo. In front of the Chief Technology Officers of several major firms. She'd never live it down. The shame of it!_

"Mako! Please!"

She reached their rooms and began to open a door. "I failed, Raleigh."

"No you didn't. You did a wonderful job."

"I appreciate the gesture, but I had an episode in front of all of those people." She turned to face him. "I failed." She hung her head.

"Hey." Raleigh put a hand under her chin and lifted it. She didn't fight it. "Look at me."

Mako had tears in her eyes.

"You didn't fail, Mako. You knew that there was a risk that might happen, but you went ahead and performed the demo. Not only that, but you completed it too." Raleigh smiled. "Also, you forgot your shirt."

Mako blushed as she realized that she had just run through the Shatterdome in a sports bra and slacks. "Thank you, Raleigh." She turned back to the door. _Why won't it open?_

"Uh, Mako…"

"Yes?"

_Not again… _"Remember after the first time we sparred in the Kwoon?"

Mako's face went pale. _The day just keeps getting worse._ "Excuse me…"

Raleigh felt sorry for Mako. _She's having a really tough day._ Raleigh decided to leave her alone for a while. "If you need me, I'll be up in the LOCCENT. Just call me."

Mako nodded, then closed the door.

_Mako's quarters_

Mako powered up her computer, then went to Facebook. _Raleigh hasn't contacted Jazmine yet. I caught that through the Drift during the last test of the Geizler Array yesterday. So, let's see what I can find on her…_

Mako input Jazmine's name into the search bar. _Can't be too hard…_

Half a dozen results came back.

Mako browsed through the results, looking for hints at an Alaskan childhood. One stood out. _Sacramento, California? Isn't that where the Gold Rush started?_

Mako wanted to send her a message, but that would be… awkward. _Hrm… not many friends._ Mako sent a friend request.

Less than a minute later, Jazmine accepted the request… and sent her a message.

_Jazmine: OMG! Are you THE Mako Mori?_

Mako sighed. _Off to a great start, Mako._

_Mako: Yes, I am_.

_Jazmine: So you know my brother?_

_Mako: You might say that._

_Jazmine: Can you slap him for me, please? I've been trying to contact him for a year now, but he's not responded._

Mako stopped. How much about Raleigh's time after Yancy's death should she reveal?

_Mako: He's been… busy._

_Jazmine: I get him being busy after you guys sealed the Breach and all, but before? Where was he?_

_Mako: Alaska, working on the Wall._

_Jazmine: Do they not have internet there?_

_Mako: You'll have to ask him._

_Jazmine: Can you convince him to at least check his Facebook?_

_Mako: That, I can do._

_Jazmine: Thank you so much._

_Mako: No problem._

Mako logged off of Facebook, put on a t-shirt, then went hunting for Raleigh, a tablet in her hand and a grin smeared across her face. _I am going to get him in touch with his sister, even if I have to physically drag him all the way to Sacramento._


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note**: Why Sacramento for Jazmine's new home? Simple. I can add a lot of depth to the story there, as I live in Sacramento. It's also a logical spot for people to have moved from San Francisco after Trespasser and K-day. Plus, it allows… Wait, can't spoil some of the plot elements I have in mind. ^_^

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 9**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_LOCCENT_

_May 7, 2025_

_1145_

"Thank you all for coming to see the demonstration, gentlemen. I'm sorry I can't go with you to the helipad, but I have an important conference call to make."

Mr. Airsick was still a little green around the gills, but looking better. "No, thank you for having us. And please pass along my appreciation to Miss Mori for her demonstration, even when she knew it could trigger the flare-up of her injury."

Herc nodded. "I will, don't worry."

Tendo guided them towards the door, gesturing at his watch behind his back. _Watch the time, sir._

_Might as well get on with it…_

Herc hated dealing with the Ranger Memorial Board of Directors, especially since Operation Pitfall. _"We're so sorry for your loss, Marshall Hansen." Yeah, right. I'm a grown man, I can take the loss of family and friends. Even if it is my only son and my best friend that were taken from me…_

Herc put the phone on speaker as he dialed into the conference call. "Sorry about the delay. Had some VIPs looking at some of our tech."

"No worries, Marshall. We're glad you can join us. Now, we've narrowed down the main memorial statue design to 10 candidates. You each received the email containing the designs, yes?" Murmurs of consensus rumbled from the speaker as Herc pulled up the images in 3D on the LOCCENT display normally used to monitor Jaeger systems. _Some of these are absolute bullpocky, but that's one man's opinion, and he has no say in the matter. I'm just here to "advise" the decision process._

"Okay, we're going to narrow it down to the top three designs today. Anybody have any last comments before we begin that process?"

Herc bit his tongue. _I'm the Marshall of the PPDC. Can't come across as a sergeant, even if that is what I truly am…_

"Okay, let's begin…"

Raleigh walked into the LOCCENT, saw Herc at work, and started to leave.

Herc gestured for him to stay. _Someone to keep me from flying off the handle at these guys._

Raleigh sat down at a terminal and started checking news feeds and sensor reports from the Breach Zone… Until Mako walked in, a predatory gleam in her eye and a tablet in her hand.

Raleigh took one look at Mako and apparently decided he should make a run for it.

Herc decided to put on one of Tendo's headsets to continue the conversation, and took the phone off of speaker mode. Just in time, because a yelp from a surprised Mako filled the LOCCENT. Herc covered the mic for a moment. Without looking behind him, Herc put on his NCO voice. "OUT, BOTH OF YOU!"

Raleigh tore off down the hall, yelling something about jasmine and blackmail. Mako was close on his heels, shouting something in Japanese.

Herc shook his head. _Dang kids._ _I'll deal with it later._ _But what does a flower have to do with blackmail?_

"Marshall, are you still there?"

"Sorry, had to deal with something real quick. Where were we?"

Raleigh felt Mako's arrival more than he saw or heard it. _Uh-oh… She's hell bent on something with me._ He looked in her direction… and immediately decided it was time to run. Unfortunately, Mako was in his only path for escape.

Unfortunately for Mako, that is.

Raleigh ran right at Mako and scooped her up as he ran out the door.

Mako let out a yelp of surprise as Raleigh ran out the door with her slung over his shoulder, then stopped long enough to set her down. "Raleigh, we need to talk about Jazmine…"

"Jazmine? What? No, not now… Wait, what's that… You wouldn't blackmail me, MaAAAAHHHHH!" Raleigh tore off down the hall as Mako took chase.

"Koko ni modotte shutoku shi, anata!" _Get back here, you!_

"Gonna have to catch me first!"

"Ā, watashi wa anata o buji ni kyatchi shimasu. Shite kara – YAAAI!" _Oh, I'll catch you alright. And then -_

Raleigh had just run around a turn, barely missing a passing technician. Mako had had to slip between the bewildered man and the near wall, making it with inches to spare. She started to gain on Raleigh again, spitting curses the whole way.

Suddenly, Mako was in striking range. She leapt onto Raleigh's back.

"OOOOFFFFF!"

Both Rangers fell to the ground, Mako atop Raleigh. "Gotcha!" She wrapped her arms around him, making sure to hold on tight.

Raleigh stood up, taking Mako with him. "Leggo, Mako."

"Nope." She stuck the tablet in his face. "Now, look at the pretty tablet, Raleigh…"

Raleigh looked at the tablet, then looked over his shoulder at Mako's face. "Mako… Facebook? Really?"

"Yes, Raleigh… And I'm not letting go of you until you log in to your account."

"Then you're going to be hanging on for a while."

"That's fine. You're strong. You can take it."

"Carrying you around all day, or logging in?"

"Either way, I win."

"How do you win from being carried around all day?"

"Because eventually you'll get tired and log in, and I get to pester you all day."

Raleigh sighed. "Fine. You win. I'll log in."

Mako started to hand him the tablet… then stopped. "Promise me you won't just drop it when I hand it to you?"

"Drat, there goes my plan."

"I'm not letting go of you or the tablet until I can see you're logged into your account. And yes, I know which one is yours."

Raleigh hung his head in defeat. "Okay, I yield to the master of annoyance." Raleigh grabbed the tablet and logged into Facebook. "Happy, Mak-oh…"

"Yes. Now you see the problem. Why won't your sister contact you? Because you shut her out." Mako let go of Raleigh and walked around in front of him, arms crossed in dismay. "Why?"

Raleigh leaned against the corridor hall and ran his fingers through his hair. "I… just did. I guess because I wanted to be alone. After Yancy…" He stopped. "I need to make things right. But how do I make up for five years of not talking to her?"

Mako grinned. "By picking up the phone and calling her."

Raleigh was not convinced. "I don't have her number."

"Lucky for you, I do. Here, I wrote it down for you."

Raleigh took the piece of paper. "Mako…"

"Hush. Call her tonight. Come find me afterwards."

"Mako."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Mako bowed slightly. "You are very welcome, Raleigh." She turned to leave.

"Oh, and one other thing, Mako…"

Mako stopped. "Yes?"

"Anata ga hoka no dare sono gazō o hyōji shita baai wa... Watashi wa anata ga shawā-chū ni Bon Jovi ni utau no watashi no kiroku o shutoku suru hitsuyō ga arimasu." _If you ever show anyone else that picture… I'll have to get out my recording of you singing to Bon Jovi in the showers._

Mako turned around, her face bright red in embarrassment. "_You wouldn't…"_

Raleigh howled with laughter as he started running away, a _very_ angry Mako in hot pursuit.

_Hong Kong_

_Kowloon Boneslum_

_May 7, 2025_

_1700_

Newt had not wanted to go out of the Shatterdome for some time. _Shortly after the victory party, actually._ So, today he had forced himself to go. Shortly after leaving the Shatterdome, he found himself wandering aimlessly. Since he had no particular destination in mind, he continued to wander, taking in the sights of the city while _not_ under the threat of a Kaiju attack.

_I used to love Kaiju. I've got the tattoos to prove it, something that I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. _Newt looked at a wrecked building still being repaired. _Otachi changed that for me. Now I don't love them. Respect them? Yes. Admire the work that was put into their creation? Most certainly. Fear them? Oh hell yes._

_But not love._

Newt looked around again. He was near where Otachi had shoved Gipsy Danger through a building. _The amount of force that required… remarkable._ All that remained of that building was a pile of debris. After all, Otachi had gutted the building while she pushed the Jaeger through. Newt remembered the after-action reports mentioning a spray of acid. He turned around, seeking the spot. _Aha. There it is. Still being repaired. And down below… Yes! Scraps of melted steel and glass. Let's see what I can take back to the lab. _Newt loved how he could still learn from the Kaiju months after the Breach had been sealed. This was a chance to study the potent acid Otachi had used, and figure out how to safely harness its destructive potential for the betterment of mankind. _What could you use that for? Hmmm… Search and rescue operations in urban wreckage. Carefully apply it to a slab of concrete, and watch it be eaten away… No, too risky. Don't want to spill it on a survivor._ Newt realized he was at the pile of debris. He casually pulled out a bag and a pair of gloves, donned the gloves, and collected a few samples. _Now I can reverse engineer that acid! I hope._ Putting away the gloves and samples, Newt began to wander again.

_I love this city. It just bounces back from everything that gets thrown its way. A testament to the human spirit? Or to making a buck where a buck can be found? Either way, it's impressive… and a little scary._ Newt looked around again. _Fong and Tull? Huh. Time to go visit ol' Hannibal Chau. Can't wait to see what he's gotten into now._ Newt retraced the route he had used almost four months earlier when he had sought out a Kaiju brain. _He's one tough dude, cutting his way out of Baby Otachi with a knife._ Newt stopped in front of the apothecary. The guards were there, so Chau was still in business doing _something_. Newt entered the store.

"Pssst."

Newt looked at the clerk behind the counter. "No, no bone powder. The last guy who offered me some got killed by a baby Kaiju."

The clerk recoiled in horror.

Newt smiles sweetly. "Can you tell Mr. Chau that an old friend is here to pay a visit?"

The terrified clerk nodded and picked up a phone. "Mr. Chau? An old friend is here to visit." A pause. "He wants to know _which_ old friend."

Newt continued to smile. "Tell him 'Otachi.'"

The clerk was confused, but did as he was told. "He says 'Otachi'."

The shelves behind Newt ground open. _Score._ He turned around… and there stood Hannibal Chau.

Chau looked at Newt. "Give me one reason I shouldn't just kill you where you stand."

Newt panicked. _Uhoh, should have thought this through. I am in deep trouble now, and no Jaeger is going to distract the monster this time._ "Uh, I'd make a mess of your pretty shop?"

Chau thought for a moment. "You've got a point. Come on in here."

Newt walked into Chau's lair, and the shelves slid shut behind him. "I was glad to hear you survived. Not many others can say the same thing."

Chau turned around to face Newt again. "You're not here on a social call, are you?"

"Maybe. Depends on what you want to talk about."

"How about we talk about how MY ENTIRE EMPIRE IS ABOUT TO CRUMBLE BENEATH MY FEET? NO NEW KAIJU MEANS THAT NOW I'M OUT OF FRESH SUPPLIES, AND MY BUSINESS WILL FOLD IN LESS THAN A YEAR!"

"You're welcome."

"Cocky little bastard, aren't you."

"Yup. Helping save the world tends to do that."

"Huh."

"Look, if you're running out of Kaiju stuff… why stay in the market? Use your money to launch another business. One that's a little more… legitimate."

Chau leaned in towards Newt. "What do you have in mind?"

_Uhoh… I'm still stuck. Where's Gipsy Danger when you need her?! Stall for time Newt. Think!_ "I'm a scientist, not a businessman."

"If you were, you'd be a terrible one."

"No argument from me."

Chau stood up straight, and walked to the window. "Most Kaiju dealers are running towards drugs or arms. I, however, agree with your idea of becoming more… legitimate. The trouble is, what to become?" He rounded on Newt. "You, Dr. Geizler, have some wonderful technologies at your disposal."

"Like?"

"Don't play dumb with me. The Drift. The Pons."

"So?"

"I want them."

_I am SOOOO dead…_


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note:** Looks like I messed up. Mako does NOT have any living family. Went back and retconned the error.

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 10**

_Hong Kong_

_Hannibal Chau's apothecary_

_May 7, 2025_

_1745_

Newt was panicking. _He wants the Pons and the Drift technology. Herc's going to kill me…_ "Wh-wh-why? What could you use them for?"

Chau's smiled wide, baring his gold-plated teeth. "The civilian market for the Drift… Can you imagine what it could be?"

"No, because you have to be compatible in order to Drift with someone…"

"Says the man who Drifted with two separate Kaiju brains. So obviously, you've got something new and improved up your sleeves. I want in on it. I'll even offer you a position with the new company I build. How does Chief Technology Officer sound? Huge R&D budget. Freedom to pursue any idea that comes to mind." Chau reached into his desk and pulled out a bottle of liquor and a pair of glasses. "So what do you say, Dr. Geizler?"

"What happens if I say no?"

Chau shrugged. "I let you leave and I find someone else."

"Can I think about it?"

"Yes, but the moment you leave, the offer is off the table."

_Oh god._ "Can I call someone?"

"No."

Newt's mind spun. "What direction did you want to take the company?"

Chau turned to the window. "To be honest, I'm kinda figuring this out as I go. I hadn't expected you to drop in like this." He turned to Newt. "Makes me wonder if the PPDC is still watching me."

"N-n-not that I-I-I'm aware of, no. Why would we?"

"Maybe because I funded you for the last days of the war. Maybe because I'm a war profiteer who make his bucks off of your enemies."

Newt walked to the window and looked out over the boneslum. _I need to decide._

"So, what's the deal, Dr. Geizler? Yes or no?"

Newt turned to Chau and stuck out his hand. "Deal."

Chau grinned and took Newt's hand. They shook on it. "Well, then. Welcome aboard."

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Helipad_

_May 7, 2025_

_1800_

Raleigh pulled out the slip of paper Mako had given him earlier. _I know it's early in the morning in California… But Mako said do it tonight._

He dialed the number and hit the call button.

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Click._

"RALEIGH BECKETT, YOU MISERABLE IDIOT! WHY DID YOU CUT ME OUT?"

Raleigh pulled the phone away from his ear as Jazmine continued to scream.

"I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU FOR OVER A YEAR!"

Raleigh waited. No more screaming came from the speaker. He slowly put the phone back to his ear. "Jazmine, I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorr-"

"I heard you Raleigh, it's just taking a little bit of time to process."

Raleigh waited.

"Okay, you were saying?"

Raleigh sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for not getting in touch with you. After Yancy died…"

Jazmine started to yell again. "THAT'S YOUR EXCUSE? I THOUGHT RANGERS LIVED OR DIED TOGETHER! YOU MADE IT HOME, AND HE DIDN'T! WHY DID YOU LET HIM DIE?!"

_How do I explain this?_ "You done yelling for the moment, so I can explain?"

"… Yes. Doesn't mean I won't yell at you if I don't like the reason."

"Fair enough."

"So… How come only one of you came back?"

Raleigh's mind went back to that night in the Gulf of Alaska… "Jazmine, do you remember when the war started to take a turn for the worse?"

"Yeah. It was… After Yancy died. Why?"

"That night was the first signs that the Kaiju were aware that there was a far more delicate part to the Jaeger tucked inside the "head": The Rangers. Us." Raleigh fought back tears. _The hull! It went through the hull! Raleigh, listen to me! You need AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOO!_

"Raleigh, are you okay?"

"Yeah… I just… flashed back to that night. When he was taken."

"Taken?" Jazmine's voice broke. "Taken how?"

"The Kaiju… it managed to get one of its claws through the Conn Pod armor on Yancy's side. Hooked it in there real good. Then it tore part of the Conn Pod away… and it took Yancy with it."

"Oh my God… They never told me…"

"It's not the sort of thing they liked to share."

"How did you make it?"

"I nearly didn't. Jaegers are designed to be operated by two pilots, not one. I barely made it back to shore."

"But you killed the Kaiju?"

Raleigh grinned. "Did you hear about a Category III Kaiju making landfall in Anchorage?"

"No."

"Then yes, I killed it."

"I… I didn't know. I thought that you'd left him behind. When you crashed."

"Jazmine… I would never a family member behind. You know that."

Her voice hardened. "You left _me_ behind. You disappeared from the face of the earth FOR FIVE YEARS!"

"I left the Ranger Corps and worked on the Wall."

"NOT AN EXCUSE! THERE WERE PLENTY OF WAYS TO CONTACT ME!"

"There were. I just wanted to be alone. You don't know what it's like. To be connected to someone on a deeper level than you could imagine… and then have them taken from you." He paused. "Jazmine, when Knifehead took Yancy… I could feel it. His fear, his pain, his helplessness… then he was gone." _Raleigh, listen to me! You need AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!_ "He was trying to tell me something when the Kaiju took him. I never found out what it was."

Sobs began to come from the phone. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't know…"

"Not many do. Two people in the world have seen it. Myself… And my copilot, Mako."

Jazmine sniffled for a moment. "The Drift?"

"Yeah… She's seen it."

"Do you think… No, that's too much to ask."

"What is?"

Jazmine sighed. "Do you think you and I are Drift compatible? Could you take me back to that night in the Drift? It might help me get some closure… and forgive you."

_That is a _very_ good question._ "I don't know. I can ask."

"Could you, please?"

"I'll ask. But keep this in mind: Drifting the way you ask to is rough. Ask Mako about our first Drift."

"About Mako…"

Raleigh groaned. _Not another relationship question… I'm tired of those._ "What about her?"

"Are you two… you know…"

"No, Jazmine, we are not sleeping together."

"Uhm… that's not what I was going to ask."

_Whoops._ Raleigh grabbed the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. We get asked that a lot, so it's an automatic response. So, what was your question?"

"Are you two in a relationship?"

"Yes, we are."

"Is it serious?"

Raleigh paused. "Yeah, now that I think about it. It is."

"My big brother has finally settled down with a girl? Now I have to meet her."

"Whoawhoawhoa… No, not like that."

"Then it's not serious."

Raleigh groaned. "Jazmine…"

"Yes or no: Would you want to spend the rest of your life together with her?"

_Good question…_ "Uhm… Yeah. Yeah, I would."

"Then it's serious. Thus, I need to get to know my potential sister-in-law."

"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself, Jazmine? We're not engaged yet, and we're still getting the relationship started."

"Define 'Just getting started.'"

"About a week since we both admitted to the other that we love them."

"Aww… How sweet."

Raleigh turned as red as Crimson Typhoon's armor. "Shut up, Jazmine. It's different for copilots."

"Why, because it's a relationship with a coworker?"

"Because there are no secrets in the Drift. You lay your heart and mind bare to the other."

"Oh. Maybe I don't want to do the Drift, then."

"I'll still ask if you can… But you may not like what you find out if you do. It took me five years and a few more Drifts with a new copilot to get over Anchorage."

"Oh, crud."

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, there's an accident that just happened on the route to my work. Looks bad. It'll take longer to get to work this morning. I'm going to have to let you go if I want to make it on time."

"Okay. I don't want to make you late. Talk to you soon?"

"Count on it, big brother."

_Click._

Raleigh looked out over Victoria Harbor for a few minutes. _Why did I block her out? She's so much fun sometimes._ He turned back to the entrance to the Shatterdome. Mako was waiting right behind him. "Gyah! How long have you been there?"

Mako grinned. "Not long. You've been staring into space the whole time I was here. How'd it go?"

Raleigh dug a finger into his ear. "She yelled at me a bit."

"I wouldn't blame her. Five years is a long time to not talk to your family."

_Well, if we're going to tear the bandage off of my old wounds, hers are fair game too._ "You're one to talk."

Mako went pale, her gaze furious.

Raleigh instantly regretted the comment. _Oops._

Mako ground her teeth. "My family is dead_. _All of them."

Raleigh blanched. "I'm sorry, Mako. I didn't know."

Mako's expression softened as she realized that Raleigh was being honest.

Mako's phone rang. She took the call. "Sir? … Yes, I'll be right there." She hung up. "Herc wants to see me in the LOCCENT."

"Go. I'll save you a seat in the mess hall."

"Thanks."

"Oh, and Mako?"

She turned around.

"Thank you for pushing me to talk to Jazmine."

Mako smiled, then started off towards LOCCENT.

Raleigh headed towards the mess hall. _I wonder what they're offering tonight?_

_LOCCENT_

_1815_

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

Herc turned around to see Mako in the doorway. "Yeah. Come in."

Mako came and took a seat beside him. "What is it?"

Herc powered up the holodisplay. On it were three images, one of each contender for the Ranger Memorial. He gestured at them. "These are the final three candidates for the Ranger Memorial. I want your opinion."

"Do you have a favorite?"

"Yes, but I want your opinion, too."

"Okay." Mako scooted forward and "grabbed" one of them.

The image was centered Gipsy Danger with her Chain Swords deployed, closing in on Otachi. To the left of Gipsy, Cherno Alpha was stomping Leatherback into the ground. Striker Eureka was to the right, Sting Blades extended and dug into Trespasser's shoulders. Finally, Crimson Typhoon was digging into Onibaba with the saws of the Thundercloud Formation. Behind them stood a city with an unfinished Wall. It was titled "Guardians at the Gate".

"Not accurate, but impressive." Mako pushed it back, causing it to shrink back to its original size. She grabbed the next one.

A tiny figure stood in the streets behind Gipsy Danger, which had its Chain Swords dug into a Kaiju. It was titled, "For the Lady".

Mako sighed as she pushed it back. "Simple, poignant, but not a good fit." She grabbed the last one. It was titled "VICTORY." She pulled it forward… and her jaw dropped.

Three vignettes made up the primary part of the memorial. They were wrapped equidistant around a globe.

First was Brawler Yukon battling Karloff through Vancouver. The Kaiju was bleeding, clearly about to fall. At the Jaeger's feet was a sign. "HOPE".

Second was Striker Eureka. The bomb from Operation Pitfall was tucked between the Angel Wings. Striker was clearly badly damaged. His chest was caved in, and there were swirls of fluids and parts around him. Despite the damage, he still stood his ground against the Kaiju Slattern. It was more of an artistic impression based off of Tendo's scans, but it was still close. At Striker's feet was another sign. "SACRIFICE".

What had taken Mako's breath away was the third set. It was the inside of a Conn Pod. A very particular one. Mako would know, having killed four Kaiju while strapped into the motion capture rig. The displays showed a missing arm and a crippled knee, and the Self-Destruct countdown timer counting down. One Ranger was being loaded into the escape pod, unconscious. The other stood firm, continuing the fight as he watched his copilot was being encapsulated. Mako wiped tears from her eyes as she saw the sign.

The sign read "LOVE".

"It's perfect."


	11. Chapter 11

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 11**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_LOCCENT_

_May 12, 2025_

_1200_

"You wanted to see us, sir?"

Herc turned around in his swivel chair to see Mako and Raleigh standing in the LOCCENT doorway. "Yeah, come in and take a seat. I'm waiting for Tendo to get here as well."

Mako and Raleigh settled into some chairs and waited. Mako leaned over to Raleigh. "Subete no aidea koreha ni tsuite wa nanidesu ka?" _Any idea what this is about?_

"Anata no suisoku wa watashi to onaji kurai yoidesu." _Your guess is as good as mine._

Tendo rushed in, papers in hand. "Sorry about the delay. Here's everyone's packets."

Raleigh took the offered papers. "Packets for what?"

Herc leaned forward. _I'm sure glad my collarbone is mostly healed. The next few weeks are going to have a lot of travel._ "Travel papers, plans, agendas for meetings, hotel reservations." He looked at the three senior staffers present. "The four of us are going to be doing a lot of travel over the next two months. Raleigh already knows about the plans for Alaska. Tendo, you'll be going with him. Mako and I are headed to the PPDC Cemetery in Hawaii to help break ground on the Memorial. After that, we'll meet up back here, then head for Sacramento."

Raleigh and Mako both looked at each other, then at Herc. Raleigh spoke for the two of them. "Sir, what's in Sacramento?"

Herc smiled. He knew that Jazmine Beckett lived there, but that wasn't the point of going there. It was just a happy coincidence. "That's the area we'll be staging from while we begin to choose artifacts for the museum. It's also the headquarters for the United States Coast Guard's Bay Area Ecological Monitoring unit. They're responsible for decontaminating the area and keeping folks out of the Exclusion Zones. We'll be in Sacramento for about three to four weeks total." He made a point of looking at Mako and Raleigh. "We'll have the weekends off, so you two can go have fun. I understand Raleigh's sister is a resident of the area. Perhaps she can point us in the direction of some good restaurants." Herc then looked at the Tendo. "You can bring your family with you to Sacramento, if you want."

"Thank you, sir, but they're still getting settled in here."

Herc nodded. "No problem, Tendo. Alright, the Alaska operation begins in two weeks. You're scheduled to leave on the 17th."

"Got it, sir."

"Anything else?"

The staff were quiet.

"Okay, people. We're done for now."

Raleigh and Tendo left, headed to the mess hall. Mako, however, stayed.

"Sir… Requesting permission to go to Tokyo from the 14th through the 16th."

Herc paused for a moment. _Ah, yes. Onibaba's attack was on the 15__th__._ "Permission granted, Miss Mori. I'll arrange for two tickets, round trip."

"Sir… two?"

"Just make sure Raleigh is back here at the Shatterdome before 2200 on the 16th."

"Thank you, sir."

Mako walked out of the room. _I appreciate the gesture by Herc, but I was going to ask Raleigh if he wanted to go first. Herc seems to expect that we're going to be inseparable._ She walked into the mess hall.

"Mako, I already got you some lunch."

"Thanks, Raleigh." She sat down, still thinking about her upcoming trip.

"You okay? You're awfully quiet."

"I've got a lot on my mind right now."

"Want to talk about it?"

"…Sure."

"If you don't want to…"

"No, you're not forcing me. It's better to talk about it."

"Okay, I'm all ears."

_Where to start?_ "You saw how I met _sensei_."

"Yeah. Kinda hard to forget that."

"Do you know what day it was?"

"No."

"May 15th."

"Okay…"

Mako paused for a moment before continuing. "I… requested some leave time to go to Tokyo… and I was wondering if you'd like to join me."

"Mako, I would love to. When do we leave?"

"Wednesday."

"Sounds like a plan."

The two Rangers sat quietly as they ate their lunches, just enjoying each other's company.

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_J-tech machine shop, electrical department_

_1400_

Newt waited nervously as the machine worked. _I hate waiting._

"Newton, what are you doing down here?"

"Waiting for the printer to finish the new Drift headset I've been working on, Hermann. Why?"

"You're supposed to be meeting with Marshall Hansen in 15 minutes."

"Oops, forgot about that. Can you make sure that these get done without any issues? They're important."

Hermann grumbled. He'd been planning on calling his wife, Vanessa, but that could wait if Newton hurried. "Yes, I'll keep an eye on them. Go, or else you'll be late."

"Thanks, dude. I owe you one… again."

_LOCCENT_

_1415_

"Dr. Geizler, you're almost late."

"Sorry, sir. I was wrapped up in a project."

Herc smiled. Newt did tend to get buried in his work. "No worries. I'd have called you if you hadn't shown up within 10 minutes. Now, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Newt sat down and started wringing his hands. "You're familiar with the… arrangement… between Pentecost and Hannibal Chau, right?"

"I am. Interesting piece of work, isn't he?"

"Yeah. He cut his way out of a Kaiju with a butterfly knife."

"Makes me want to call the Australian Embassy and offer him an honorary Australian citizenship."

"They have those?"

"No. I was joking. Back on point. What about the deal?"

Newt paused. _How do I explain this?_ "Last Wednesday, I went wandering through Kowloon and found myself at his shop…"

"Go on."

"I… wound up talking with him about where he wanted to go with his business now that the Breach was closed and there were no more Kaiju to harvest from."

"Spit it out, mate."

"I… kinda agreed to come on board as Chief Technology Officer of his new company. It's all above board, I promise."

Herc turned to look out over the Shatterdome. _Well, this is a sticky situation._ "What's the catch?"

"He wants the Pons and the Drift technologies."

Herc rounded on Newt. Newt cowered, afraid of what would come next.

"What? He thinks that they're just free to be given away?"

"Or maybe I was supposed to steal it if you said no. I… Kinda freaked out and said I'd find a way to get them. You'd do that if someone had stuck a butterfly knife up your nose… wouldn't you?"

Herc backed off. "Lucky for you, I'm not going to kick your ass." He returned to the windows. "Tell him I want to talk. Someplace private. Soon, as I'm leaving next Tuesday."

Newt blinked. "I'm not sure that he'll take kindly to me going back empty handed…"

Herc turned to face Newt, a sly grin on his face. "And you won't have to. I'll have Tendo print off some of the specs for the Pons. Not all of them. Just enough to know that it's legit."

Newt relaxed. _This is going to be interesting. Herc is just as clever and sly as Pentecost, but with it wrapped in a gruff Australian exterior. Chau's going to be in for a surprise…_ "Thank you, sir." Newt got up and turned to leave.

"Oh, Newt, one last thing…"

Newt stopped and faced Herc.

"Don't go into the Boneslums again without telling me. You're too valuable to wind up dead from being stabbed or shot."

Newt paled. "Yes, sir."

"Good. I'll have Tendo come by the labs with the packet once it's ready."

"Thanks." Newt left LOCCENT and ran back to the J-tech areas.

_Kaiju Sciences labs_

_1430_

Newt came into the lab to find the two headsets he'd been working on waiting on his side of the lab. Hermann was nowhere to be found. Newt walked over to inspect the new headsets. _They look good. Now, combine that with the new computer system…_ Newt picked up a small box and pulled out a pair of connecting cables, which he plugged into the headsets. He then plugged a power cord into the box and the wall, then pushed the power button. A single yellow light came on, indicating it was booting up. _Good so far. Now it's time for the test._

Newt picked up his phone and dialed Raleigh. "Hey, Raleigh, you busy right now? I've got another Drift test I need you guys to run. It's nothing complicated, just checking some new hardware. You'll do it? Great, can you pass the message along to Mako for me, please? Thanks."

He hung up, and checked the box again. A single green button had popped up, faintly pulsing with light. _Good to go._ Newt sat down and waited for the Rangers to arrive.

_Gipsy Danger repair bay_

_1435_

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Mako was glad to have a little time to herself. Time to focus on the memories, both happy and sad. Time to work on the _katana_ without interruptions.

"'_Cause I'm a cowboy… On a steel horse I ride!"_

Mako's heart jumped a little. _Raleigh._ She picked up the phone. "Hello, Raleigh."

"I have to ask, what's my ringtone?"

Mako smiled. "That's for me to know and you to find out."

"You're no fun."

"I can be lots of fun. You just have to catch me in the right mood."

"Funny. Anyways, Newt has some new Drift hardware he wants us to try out right away."

Mako put the hammer away and shut off the furnace. "Okay, I'll be there shortly."

"Cool. Meet you there."

Mako hung up and looked at the two pieces of steel she had spent the last few weeks working on. _Almost ready to bring them together… but that will have to wait._ _Let's go see what Newt has in store for us today._

_Kaiju Sciences labs_

_1445_

Mako and Raleigh settled into their chairs as Newt walked over with a duffle bag.

"Okay, guys. I've made some changes to the standard squid cap to make it more low-profile… and I've made a much more compact Drift computer." Newt looked excited. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Mako and Raleigh just looked at him.

"Right, let's just get the test under way. Mako, here's yours. Raleigh, for you." He handed them their respective headsets. Each was little more than a few plastic coated wires with a small plug at the base of the skull. Mako put hers on and fiddled with her hair for a few seconds, and the black plastic seemed to disappear.

Raleigh wasn't so lucky. Even though the wires were nearly the same color as his hair, they were easily visible. He sighed. "I guess that's a downside to shorter hair."

Newt then pulled the computer from the duffle bag. It was the size of a tissue box. "This is the new computer. Totally self-contained power supply, like a laptop. The battery should last a few hours of Drifting, or a few days on standby." He then set it on a small table between the Rangers and popped open a door on the top, revealing the connection wires. "Here, take these cords." He handed them the wires. "Plug them into that node at the base of your skull. When you're ready, hit the green button on the top of the box. That will initiate the Drift. To shut down the Drift, simply hit the button again." Newt stood back. "Whenever you're ready."

Mako took Raleigh's hand in hers and looked at him. He nodded, then laid his head back and closed his eyes. Mako put their hands on the button, laid her head back, and closed her eyes. Then, she pressed the button, and the universe imploded.

_Driftspace_

_Mako ran through the snow_ball hit Raleigh in the head not fair Jazmine you know we're not supp_osed to be a happy day her parents had tak_en from me Raleigh listen to me you need aaaaaa_aaaahhhh it's a monster it can't be real it can't be papa sa_id don't chase the rabbit you'll wind up in wond_erful day outside sensei can I go play no Mako it's too dan_ger looks beautiful after all this ti_**me to become a Ranger**__…_

The Rangers snapped back to reality. _It works._

Newt looked at them, waiting.

Mako looked at Newt and gave a warm smile. "It works."

"_YES!_"

Raleigh hit the button, and the handshake broke off. "Anything else, Newt?"

"Oh, yeah… the charger. Where's I stick it? Ah, here it is!" Newt put it into the duffle. "This is for you guys to keep. Consider it a gift."

Mako turned to Raleigh. "Your room or mine?"

Raleigh shrugged, and put his headset aside. "Either works."

"Okay, I'll take it for now." Mako pulled off the headset and began to help Newt pack up the components. "Is this one of your designs?"

Newt looked offended. "Duh." He zipped the duffle bag and handed it to Mako with a little more force than needed. "Why would I use anyone else's design?"

Mako rolled her eyes. _He can be so stuck up sometimes._

Raleigh turned to face Newt. "Thank you. This means a lot."

"No problem."

Mako walked over to Raleigh. "So, want to do some more work on the sword? It's almost ready to be welded together."

Raleigh walked out the door with Mako. "Actually, I was wondering if I could use it for a bit. I have a project in mind that I would like to do a little practice for."

"What kind of project?"

"A surprise."

Mako walked around in front of Raleigh, forcing him to stop. "You know my birthday was a few weeks ago. You helped plan that surprise party."

"And if I tell you anything, it'll ruin the surprise." Raleigh gave Mako a sly grin. "And I know it's going to drive you crazy, which is half the fun of a surprise."

Mako thought about it for a moment. _If I let him, maybe I can figure out what he's working on from whatever he leaves behind._ "Okay."

"Thank you, Mako." He turned and started to walk to the hangar. "Oh, do you have any stainless steel wire in your supplies?"

_Stainless steel wire? _"Yeah, blue toolbox, second drawer down."

"Thanks. See you for dinner?"

"Sure!"

Raleigh disappeared around the corner.

Mako turned towards her quarters. _Raleigh Beckett, what are you working on? He's right, this is going to drive me crazy._


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note: **If you haven't gone back to Chapter 10, I had to retcon some stuff due to an oversight. It's towards the end after Raleigh finishes the phone call.

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 12**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Gipsy Danger repair bay_

_May 12, 2025_

_1600_

Raleigh swore fluently in several languages as he realized that the loop of wire was badly misshapen. _I can't seem to get this right. Maybe I need to rethink my approach._ _What other materials could I choose from?_ He rummaged through the drawers of supplies and tools. _Wait a second, what's this? _Raleigh picked up the item and walked over to the workbench. He put it down gently and pulled up a chair. _Looks like it's the right size, but I'll need some way to be sure…_

"Whatcha workin' on, Beckett boy?"

Raleigh jumped. "Jesus, Tendo. You scared me." He looked at the Chief Technician. "I'm working on a secret project to surprise Mako with."

Tendo looked at the mystery object. "Uh-huh. I've seen your handiwork. That's not yours."

"You're right. I just found it in one of the toolboxes." The Ranger looked back at the little object. "It looks like it's a good fit for my project… but I need some way to be sure it's the right size."

Tendo leaned in closer. "I hope you're not planning on actually _using_ that in your project."

"No, but I can sure use it as a reference for some of the tools I'll need to make for the project."

"Ah. I see some of Mako's mechanical aptitude has rubbed off."

"Yeah, and I'm going to need every bit of it to make this work." Raleigh looked back up at Tendo. "And I'm going to need your help."

"Whoa, no. If Mako finds out I'm involved in even the slightest manner, she'll pressure me for details. And you know how well I hold up under duress from her."

Raleigh laughed as he remembered Mako's hunt for clues about her upcoming birthday surprise. _Poor Tendo was cornered for half an hour before I rescued him._ "No worries. I just need you to borrow something real quick."

"What do you want me to borrow?"

Raleigh leaned over to whisper in Tendo's ear.

Tendo grinned. "I think I can do that. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Thanks."

_1730_

Mako walked into the hangar. _It's quiet… So he's not forging something right now. Let's go take a look._ "Raleigh?"

Her voice echoing in the cavernous space of the hangar was her only reply.

Mako walked into the workspace. She checked a particular drawer. _It hasn't moved. Good._ She closed the drawer. _What was he working on?_

Raleigh popped out of a nearby empty garbage can. "BOO!"

"YAAAAAIIIII!" Mako seemed to levitate about a foot in the air as she looked for Raleigh, terror clearly evident on her face.

Raleigh began to laugh so hard that he fell over, gasping for breath.

"Omoshirokunai, Raleigh!" _Not funny, Raleigh!_

"Your face… Oh, that was priceless…"

Mako walked over to him, hands planted firmly on her hips. "I will have to get you back for this, you know."

Raleigh rolled so he could see her. "Oh, I'm counting on it." He kicked the trashcan away. "So, about dinner…"

Mako looked at him, waiting.

"How about we go out on the town tonight?"

"I… No, I'm not comfortable with it right now. We're still fresh in people's minds… and there's a significant Church of the Breach presence in town. We'd be spotted instantly."

"Point. Okay, how about a picnic atop the Shatterdome?"

"That sounds like a plan. I'll get the food if you'll get the blanket."

Raleigh stood up. "I'll meet you at the stairs in… 20 minutes?"

"I'll be there."

_1800_

Mako and Raleigh sat atop the Shatterdome, enjoying the relatively clear skies and fresh air. Off to their left, on Stonecutter's Island, they could see Leatherback's skeleton, now missing a few ribs due to the demolition. They looked at it, remembering the fight.

"Mako… why do you want to go back to Tokyo?"

She looked at Raleigh. "Closure."

He nodded. _I know that feeling. We'll both get it soon._

They ate silently for a while, simply enjoying the company of the other.

After they finished eating Raleigh spoke. "Mako, I have something for you…"

"Oh?"

Raleigh smiled as he pulled a bomber jacket from his duffle bag. "Yancy would have wanted you to have it."

Mako took it from Raleigh and held it up. The Gipsy Danger crest was splashed across the back. Four kill markings were printed on the right breast, and the nose art from Gipsy was on the left. Mako's name was now in place of Yancy's on the name tag. "Raleigh…"

"Try it on. It's probably going to be a little big on you."

Mako slipped into it. It was indeed too large, but she wouldn't have it any other way. "It's perfect." She reached over and hugged him. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome, Mako."

She let go of Raleigh. "I've caught bits and pieces of Yancy through the Drift…"

Raleigh reached into the duffle and pulled out a bundle of pictures, a grin on his face. "I come prepared."

Joy lit up Mako's face. "I thought you were going to throw those away when I first saw them off the wall!"

"Nah. I was going to box them up and store them, but with Jazmine and me back in contact, I decided I would make a photo album from them to give to her. But before I do, I wanted to let you get to know Yancy." He looked at her. "He would have liked you."

Mako smiled.

Raleigh pulled out a photo. "Ah, Budapest. Yancy and I …"

_Airspace above Tokyo, Japan_

_May 14, 2025_

_1545 JST_

Mako stirred as the engine pitch changed. _We're descending._ She looked out the window as the Boeing 777-300ER began its descent into the airport. Raleigh held her hand gently as he continued to sleep.

Mako had always loved to watch the wings of airliners during the climb and descent. _There's so many mechanical systems operating in harmony. The flaps, the engines, the gear, the spoilers and thrust reversers… I love it. It all has to work together to take 250 tons of metal, composites, and passengers from zero speed and altitude to cruise and back._ As Mako thought about this, the plane banked and began to lower its massive flaps, slowing the plane from its headlong rush through the air to a more sedate speed suitable for landing. Gradually, other systems came into play as they slowed further and descended towards the runway. _It's a symphony of machinery, conducted by the pilots… Much like a Jaeger_.

Raleigh awoke to the whine of hydraulics shoving the landing gear into the airstream. _We're here._ He looked at Mako, and smiled at her fixation on the wing. _I love that look. She's so happy around machines._ He looked across the aisles at a passenger in the middle seats who was clearly terrified. _Others, not so much._ His attention returned to Mako as she closed her eyes, waiting for somethi-

The tires chirped gently onto the pavement of the runway, and the plane settled back to earth.

Mako's eyes flew open, a childlike glee visible in them as she looked at Raleigh. "We're here! I'm finally…" Her face fell. "I was going to say 'home,' but… I don't know what home means to me anymore."

Raleigh held Mako's right hand in both of his. "For me, it's wherever you are." He smiled.

They were still holding hands as they retrieved their luggage, walked out of the airport, and hailed a cab.

_Low-cost hotel near Tokyo Boneslum_

_1700 JST_

Mako and Raleigh walked into the lobby of the small hotel, setting off a small bell. The host came to greet them.

Mako and Raleigh both bowed to the host, and Mako started the conversation. "Kon'nichiwa, watashitachi wa 2 no tame no heya o sagashiteimasu. Futatsu no betsubetsu no beddo." _Hello, we're looking for a room for two. Two separate beds._

The host paused for a moment before replying. "Sumimasen ga, watashitachiha ima, riyō kanōna shingurubeddorūmu ga arimasu. Sore wa ukeire rareru ka dō ka?" _I'm sorry, but we only have single bed rooms available right now. Is that acceptable?_

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other and shrugged. Mako turned to the host. "Hai, soreha kyoyō sa reru." _Yes, it is acceptable._

"Yūshū. Watashi ni shitagatte kudasai." _Excellent. Please follow me._ He grabbed a pair of electronic keycards and handed them to the Rangers, then headed down the hall to the elevator. He hit the button for the seventh floor, and they stepped in. "Anata wa dono kurai taizai shite iru?" _How long are you staying?_

"Ni-paku." _Two nights._

The host looked at Raleigh. "Come to see Kaiju Festival with girlfriend, yes?"

Raleigh stared the little man in the eye. "Kanojo wa watashi no yoki yūjindashi, watashi wa kanojo o sapōto suru tame ni koko ni iru. Kanojo wa kōgeki de kanojo no kazoku o ushinatta." _She's my good friend, and I'm here to support her. She lost her family in the attack_.

The host bowed deeply in embarrassment. "Gomen'nasai. Anata wa eigo matawa nihongo o konomudeshou ka?" _My apologies. Would you prefer English or Japanese?_

Mako glared at Raleigh, remembering how she felt when Raleigh had pulled that trick on her. "English is fine."

"Good."

_Ding!_

They left the elevator and headed down the hallway. They reached the door, and the host opened it for them. Mako walked in first, with Raleigh close behind. The host bowed and left. The Rangers surveyed the room. A single king-sized bed, two alarm clocks, and a bathroom. Raleigh looked at Mako. "Cozy."

Mako flopped out on her side, the same side she had been on with Gispy. "Isn't it odd how we keep taking the same sides we had been on in Gipsy Danger?"

Raleigh looked around. "You can have the bed, of you want. I'll grab some spare blankets from downstairs and make a spot for myself on the flooOOF! Mako, leggo."

Mako dragged Raleigh onto the bed, then rolled him over and sat on his legs. "Mr. Beckett, you are going to be sharing the bed tonight. I insist."

"And I insist on letting you have the bed."

"I appreciate the gesture, Raleigh. That willingness to let me have the bed to myself is proof enough that you won't want to do anything other than sleep in it. It means a lot to me."

"You're my friend, Mako. You're not someone I would sleep with lightly. We've got a good thing going, and I don't want to ruin it by thinking between my legs."

Mako leaned forward and kissed Raleigh on the forehead. "Thank you." She climbed off Raleigh. "Want to go get some dinner?"

Raleigh didn't have a chance to respond before his stomach rumbled. "Does that count as an answer?"

Mako laughed, and they both walked out of the hotel room hand in hand.

_Mako and Raleigh's hotel room_

_2145 JST_

The two Rangers sat on the bed, watching the news coverage of the upcoming Kaiju festival. Raleigh looked at Mako. "Newt would be in heaven there."

Mako nodded, causing her blue highlights to swing out into the light.

"Mako, ever since we met, I've always wondered about your hair. Why the blue tips?"

She sighed and laid back against the pillows, playing with the dyed hair. "It's been a reminder of Onibaba's attack. The blue Kaiju blood, Coyote Tango's blue Conn Pod window, the blue dress I was wearing…" She trailed off, lost in the memories.

Raleigh wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, still playing with her hair.

"I've been thinking about getting rid of it, though. What do you think?"

"Mako, you could have a full head of electric blue hair, and I wouldn't care." He put his hand over her heart, then touched her head. "It's what's in here, and here, that I love so dearly, and that I was willing to give my life for. Still am, as a matter of fact."

"That's sweet, Raleigh." She scooted over onto Raleigh's lap, then dragged his arms around her.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?"

"I want to head out to where I rode out the attack."

"Sounds like a plan. What time do you want to leave?"

"Whenever we're ready." She rolled over to look Raleigh in the eyes. "Thank you for coming, Raleigh. It means a lot to me."

"You're welcome, Ma-mmmphh"

Mako kissed him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 13**

_Mako and Raleigh's hotel room_

_May 15, 2025 (9 years after Onibaba's attack)_

_0700 JST_

Mako woke up to find herself in Raleigh's arms, refreshed. _That was actually the best night of sleep I've had since Operation Pitfall._ She lay there, enjoying the close contact with Raleigh.

He stirred. "Good morning, Mako."

She rolled over to face him, a grin on her face. "Good morning, Raleigh. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, actually. Best night of sleep I've had in more than five years. You?"

"Since we nuked the Breach."

"Lucky you." He smiled. "You want the shower first?"

"Sure!" She practically skipped into the small bathroom.

Raleigh thought back to the night before. They had kissed. Passionately. It had felt good for both of them. Then, they had gone to bed, Mako in his arms. Just like they had woken up. Raleigh attributed the good night's rest to his proximity to Mako. Feeling her warm, athletic body so close to his had banished all the memories that usually kept him up at night. And he could have sworn that she had been taking part in his dreams.

The sound of the shower starting dragged Raleigh back to reality. _Mako didn't take any fresh clothes into the bathroom._ He got out of bed and went to her luggage. "Mako, what do you want me to bring into the bathroom for you?"

"The blue shirt and pants, please."

Raleigh opened her suitcase and grabbed the requested articles of clothing, along with a bra and panties to match. _Sometimes the Ghost Drift is amazingly useful._ He was about to head to the bathroom when he saw them. THE dress, and THE pair of shoes. Set next to them were a pair of small scissors. Mako's plan for the day clicked together in Raleigh's head. _So that's what she wanted to do today. Why it was so important to come._ He set the items next to his small backpack.

Mako started to sing in the shower, and Raleigh sat on the bed and listened. It was one of Raleigh's favorite songs, despite having been written by George Harrison and not Paul McCartney.

"_Here comes the sun… Here comes the sun… I say… It's all right."_

Raleigh smiled._ It's all right indeed. Today is going to be a good day._

_Tokyo Boneslum_

_1100 JST_

Mako looked up from the photo and froze. "Here. This is it."

Raleigh stood by silently, waiting.

Mako had gone through the PPDC archives to make sure she had the spot right. _I want to do this right. For my family's honor._ She and Raleigh now stood at the site of one of the most iconic photos of the Kaiju war.

Raleigh knew the significance of this spot to Mako, and swung the backpack off his shoulders. He handed it to her.

Mako opened the backpack and pulled out the red shoes and blue dress, and set it down on the ground. She knelt to the ground, crying.

People stopped to watch. After all, it wasn't every day that someone knelt down in the middle of a street, even if it was a pedestrian zone now. It was especially rare when they then pulled out some children's clothing and set it on the ground. This, however, was no ordinary set of clothing. These were the clothes a scared 13 year old girl had worn when a Category II Kaiju had thrashed Tokyo. The same little captured by a photographer's lens as she held a small red shoe in her hands, tears streaking her face as she walked away from a dead Kaiju towards a towering Jaeger.

Everyone knew that image. It had graced the covers of magazines, newspapers, and webpages for weeks. And now that scared little girl was all grown up. The same young woman who had helped close the Breach had come back to the spot that had shaped her future in ways she couldn't have imagined. She had come back to celebrate… and remember.

Mako picked up the scissors, and grabbed the streak of blue hair on the left side of her face. "Watashinochichi no tame ni." _For my father._

_Snip._

Cameras were out, and flashes were going off all around Mako.

She didn't care.

Mako set the blue hair down, then grabbed the streak on the right. "Watashinohaha no tame ni." _For my mother._

_Snip._

Mako set the hair down next to the first bit. Tears welled in her eyes. _I wish you could see me now. I have done the family name proud._ She smiled.

Mako slipped the hair into envelopes, then packed up the clothing. "Let's go, Raleigh."

They left the Boneslum and the swirling crowds behind them, wrapped in their small personal universe of memories.

_Hong Kong Boneslums_

_Unnamed back alley_

_May 15, 2025_

_1300_

Herc leaned against the side of a building, waiting. He didn't have long.

"Marshall Hansen, I presume."

"That'd be me, mate. You must be Hannibal Chau."

"I am."

"Okay, lemme make this short and to the point: I don't trust you. I don't know what your end game is, or what you plan to do with the Pons and the Drift. Frankly, I don't care, as long as it's not illegal. But let me make myself clear: I am not going to simply give it away. To anyone, let alone a former black market dealer and war profiteer."

Chau crossed his arms and looked at Herc. "You come all this way in person to tell me this?"

"No. To give you something that you can use to get access to the tech." Herc handed Chau an envelope. "Inside that is an invitation to the meeting where we will be licensing the tech for public use. If you want the tech, you'll have to pay for the license, just like everyone else." Herc turned to leave.

"I have a personal question for you, Mr. Hansen."

Herc stopped and turned to face Chau. "I'll listen to it, but I may not answer it."

"Fair enough."

"What's the question?"

"Where are you going to go after they finally dismantle the PPDC?"

"Go back to Australia, find a nice place on the outskirts of Melbourne, and retire." He turned and walked off.

_Tokyo_

_1845 JST_

Mako and Raleigh had played tourist the rest of the day, enjoying their time away from the Shatterdome. Now, however, they were back at the hotel. Mako turned on the TV to the local news channel.

"We've all seen the iconic photo of the Girl in the Blue Dress. Today, we finally found out who she was."

Mako groaned and flopped onto the bed. "They're never going to leave me alone after this."

The news anchored continued, and the footage switched to a video shot from a cell phone camera. It showed Mako and Raleigh in the street that morning. "Shown here is Mako Mori, one of the two pilots of the now-destroyed Mk III Jaeger Gipsy Danger. In front of her are the same shoes and dress that were worn in the famous photo…"

_Click._

Raleigh set down the remote. "Why get yourself wound up over it, Mako? Why watch the news when you knew you'd be on it?"

"I thought there'd be more on the festival."

"Mako, the media is going to go crazy over that. You and I both knew that. Was it still worth it?"

Mako sat up. "Yes. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders." She looked at the dress, shoes, and envelopes of hair. "It feels good."

"So, the trip was worth the trouble?"

"Yes."

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Raleigh's quarters, Corridor 47B_

_May 17, 2025_

_0200_

**BOOM!**

_Popopopopopopopop_

Raleigh sat bolt upright at the explosion, with Mako a fraction of a second behind him. "What the hell?"

"_GO GO GO GO!"_

BAMBAMBAM.

Raleigh and Mako got off of the bed and opened the door. A PPDC strike team stood watch outside the door. "We need to move you to a more secure location now."

Raleigh rubbed his eyes. "What the hell is going on?"

"We're under attack by Kaiju worshippers."

"Why? What do they think they'll gain from attacking the Shatterdome now?"

"They're here to kill you two, or die trying."

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other. _Not good._

"We need to get you to the nearest armory now."

The two Rangers were promptly surrounded by the strike troopers, who hustled them to the armory. One got on the phone. "Sir, the Rangers are in Armory 18. We're going to suit them up and arm them now."

Herc's voice growled back. "Good. You two, stay with the Strike Troopers until I come get you. To the rest of you: remember, NON-LETHAL only unless it's a "kill or be killed" situation. They are not heavily armed, but they are fanatical. Do not hesitate to use bean bag rounds, sponge grenades, Tasers, pepper spray, tear gas, even _hanbo_ staffs if you have to. Just try not to do too much damage to the attackers. Oh, and arrest them once they're subdued." The roar of a 12-gauge shotgun came from the speaker. "Bugger, they found us. Herc out."

Mako and Raleigh were soon wearing body armor, and were being outfitted and armed. Raleigh took a 12-gauge pump action shotgun loaded with PPDC's custom Taser rounds (similar to the now-discontinued XREP round), a number of reloads with both rock salt and bean bag rounds, and a package of zip ties. Mako had chosen to take a _hanbo_, as she wasn't familiar with the shotguns._ I'll have to ask Raleigh for lessons_.

Raleigh racked the slide of the shotgun, then nodded at Mako. She took cover behind him. _Come on, Ghost Drift. Now is the best time for you to go into overdrive…_ "Okay, let's wait it out here."

Herc zip tied the wrists of yet another cultist. "Stay down, you bloody idiot, or else you'll get hit by a stray round. You don't want that, do you?" The cultist shook her head. "Smart girl." Herc ducked into a doorway and waited. Sure enough, another cult member saw the downed girl, and came to her aid. _And the Yanks say chivalry's dead._ Herc stepped from the shadows and aimed the Taser at the young man. "You know, Australia's home to a lot of poisonous creatures, but none are more venomous than an Aussie whose home you've broken into… while he's still there. So I'd advise you to get down on the ground, real slowly." The fanatic did as he was told. Herc zip tied him as well. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have someone I need to find first." Herc opened a nearby storage closet and dragged them inside. "Now, before I lock you away in here for your own safety, can you tell me who the bloody idiot who planned this mess is? I want to have a word with them."

The cultists looked at each other. The young man spoke up. "You'll never catch our priest."

Herc sighed. "Right. Hold still." He put a strip of duct tape over each of their mouths. "This will keep you quiet, so that the Strike Teams roaming the halls performing cleanup won't think you're trying to ambush them and come in with lethal force." He closed the door and put a small mark on the door frame with chalk, indicating two prisoners inside.

_Now, to find this Priest…_

Mako and Raleigh had barricaded themselves back in Raleigh's room. The Strike Troopers had arranged themselves nearby to watch over them. Everything was alright until…

_BANG._

Mako jumped slightly. "What was that?"

Raleigh never had a chance to answer, as the roar of a shotgun firing in the hall drowned out his response. A thud came from the hall a second later.

"Must have gotten someone."

A creepy voice wafted through the door. "Indeed we did, Raleigh. Your guard is now our prisoner. Open the door, and he will live. Lock it, and he will die." The sound of a pistol being cocked came next. "Your choice."

"DON'T DO IT, SIR!"

"He's so protective of you, Rangers. But, now you have to protect him, just like you "protected" the Earth from the Kaiju, our Gods."

Raleigh clicked the safety off of the shotgun. "With all due respect to whoever you are, go to hell."

"I'm sorry it had to be like this, Raleigh. This innocent man's blood will be on your hands."

Raleigh stood and crept to the door.

Mako looked at him. "Raleigh, don't."

He handed her the shotgun. "Just don't shoot me with it, please." He unlocked the door. "Go under the desk, Mako."

Tears were in her eyes. "Raleigh, no."

"I can't have his blood on my conscience, Mako."

Raleigh opened the door… and was promptly grabbed and held at gunpoint. The Priest took Raleigh backwards into the room, never looking in Mako's direction. He held a pistol in his right hand, aimed at Raleigh's head. His left hand held a PPDC radio. "Marshall Hercules Hansen, I have Raleigh Beckett as my hostage. Come to his quarters now."

The radio crackled to life with the gruff Australian's voice, a dangerously low growl. "Let him go, and you may live to see the sunrise."

Come to Raleigh's quarters, or he won't have the same chance."

A few tense moments passed before Herc apparently arrived.

"Marshall… I have heard so much about you. I'm so sorry I couldn't do this at a more… polite hour, but this was the best time to perform such an act."

"Go to hell, mate."

"Such _hatred_. Why?"

"You're a bloody lunatic. You should be in a mental hospital."

"I was, for many years. However, the Kaiju freed me from my bonds. Released my spiritual side, so I could…"

Mako got tired of his monologue, and fired the shotgun. The beanbag round hit the Priest square in the head, knocking him out cold. Raleigh jumped free of the now-unconscious man.

Herc bolted into the room. "The hell?"

Mako dropped the gun, shaking. She kicked it away.

Raleigh rushed over to her. "You okay?"

Mako shook her head. "I think I'm going to be sick…." She allowed Raleigh to pull her out from under the desk.

Herc shook his head. "Mako, that was one hell of a shot."

She looked at the Priest. "I was aiming for his kidneys." She then bolted for the bathrooms, her face green.

Raleigh sighed, grabbed the shotgun, and took off after her, cycling the slide.

_LOCCENT_

_0400_

"All clear, sir. We have the last of the intruders captured."

Herc nodded. "Good. Now to try and catch a nap before going and asking this "Priest" character some questions. Call me only if there's a Kaiju or a bomb."

"Yes sir."

Herc returned to his room and turned out the light.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note: **I pictured Tom Hiddleston's performance as Loki as I created the character of the Priest. Loki is perfectly stable and logical, but totally bughouse nuts. Just like how I wanted the Priest character.  
To be honest, this chapter was a pain to write. I went through three major versions and countless minor changes over how to approach the interrogation. Should Herc give in to a darker side he hid from everyone, including Chuck? Should Herc hand him over to Hannibal Chau for a more hands-off and dirty interrogation? Should he hand him over to the Hong Kong police? It took me nearly a day of literary head-bashing before finally getting something I was happy with.

Enjoy!

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 14**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Brig_

_May 17, 2025_

_0900_

Herc sat in a chair and watched the Kaiju cult leader wake up. "G'day, mate. You took a decent hit to the head. Frankly, you're lucky to be alive. A little further towards your face, and it could have cracked your temple like an eggshell and killed you on the spot."

"Who shot me?"

"Rule one when fighting with paired Rangers: ALWAYS keep an eye on the other Ranger."

"What?"

Herc shook his head. "Your other target, Mako Mori, was hunkered under Raleigh's desk with a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with beanbag rounds. You have the tactical skills of a sea slug, mate."

"Sea slugs can be lethal."

"If you're stupid enough to try and eat one, yeah. But they're not hunters by any means." Herc pulled out a tablet and paged through some of the records he had put on it for the interrogation. "Quite the record you have, Charles Peterson. Numerous charges for narcotics possession, petty theft, fraud, trespassing, public indecency, possession of stolen goods, tax evasion… The list is extensive. And that's just in the US. I have warrants for your arrest from 10 Pacific Rim nations, many of them related to your "pilgrimages" to Kaiju corpses." He set the tablet down. "I could hand you over to the local authorities and be rid of you forever. However… I have some questions first."

"Let me guess: Why attack the two 'Saviors of Humanity'?"

Herc glared at Peterson. "No, that is beyond my ability to comprehend, and I don't want to hear your religious bull about it. The big question I have for you is this: How'd you get two hundred of your followers to perform a bloody foolish raid on a military base?"

Charles Peterson smiled. "They drank the Kool Aid."

"What did you spike it with?"

"A mix of drugs and chemicals. I apparently didn't put enough painkillers in the mix, though. They obviously felt the pain of being hit."

"Says the man who was hit in the side of the head by a beanbag round."

"I feel no pain. Why shouldn't I grant that gift to my followers?"

"Where'd you get the breaching charge?"

"I have… sources."

"The fact that you used that makes you a terrorist to the US. I'm highly inclined to hand you over to them, if the Peruvians don't get hold of you first."

"Ah, yes. Peru. I had such a wonderful time there."

"They want your head. Preferably on a pike."

"That was 8 years ago. I have… matured in my methods since then."

"Like your tribute for Yamarashi to, how'd you put it?" Herc picked up the tablet again. "Ah, 'ease the passage of the noble Kaiju's spirit back through the Breach'?"

"My first encounter with Raleigh Beckett's handiwork. Quite brutal. And inhumane."

"The same could be said for you. You have the blood of three dozen people on your hands from your 'tributes' to the Kaiju."

"A necessary evil."

Herc rubbed his temples. "To be honest, mate, I'm half tempted to strangle you on the spot. But that's not the example I want to set. It would make me no better than you."

"Oh, but you would so like to do it. It would feel so good!"

"Instead, I'm going to let the local authorities take care of you."

"I have friends in _very_ high places. How else do you think I've been able to continue my ministry?"

"So that's what you call it." Herc shook his head. "The charges. Who gave them to you? Who trained you?"

"Friends in high places, remember?"

"Was it China?"

"Perhaps."

"North Korea?"

"Possible."

"Russia? I've heard that Putin is still alive, and escaped the prison camp he was being held in."

"That is an option."

_I'm getting nowhere with this guy._ Herc stood to leave.

"Done so soon? I expected more from you. You're not worthy of the title of Marshall."

Herc walked out. He turned to face the next interrogator with a smile. "Newt, your turn."

"With pleasure. I had wanted to meet with this guy for a while… Then I found out about his darker aspects. Now I want to make him squirm."

"Good luck, and don't let him get under your skin."

-.-.-

Newt walked into the room and sat down, pulled out his tablet, and rolled up his sleeves to show his tattoos. He began to doodle.

After a few minutes of silence, Peterson began to fidget against his restraints. Newt continued to doodle. More silent minutes passed. Finally, Peterson ran out of patience. "Why did they send you in here, to keep an eye on me? I'm not going anywhere." He rattled his restraints as proof.

Newt continued to doodle, apparently ignoring Peterson.

"Why are you here with the PPDC? I can see that you're a fan of the Kaiju."

"Hmm?"

"Your tattoos. You're a Kaiju fan."

Newt paused in his doodling, looking at Peterson, his face carefully neutral. "I grew up idolizing Kaiju, yes. I loved to go watch Tokosatsu movies. So when Trespasser attacked San Francisco, I was excited. Then I saw the death toll. I've been conflicted about them ever since."

"So, why the PPDC?"

Newt paused for a moment. "Because then I could study them to my heart's content, while helping save innocent people in the path of the Kaiju. However, once I realized that the Kaiju were grown as clones, and the pace of attacks picked up, I realized something had to be done."

"And what was that?"

"Drift with a Kaiju."

Peterson looked as if he'd been hit with a cattle prod. "No… that's not possible. You couldn't possibly do that. Our brains are so different…"

"That's what the brass here thought, too. But I did it."

Peterson's will was obviously crumbling. "What was it like?"

"The first time was weird. It was only part of a brain, and it was nearly dead. But I managed to Drift with it. What I saw…" Newt shook his head.

"Tell me. Please."

"It wasn't like I was able to gather whole thoughts or memories. More like a series of emotions and impressions." He looked at Peterson. "It was… awesome."

-.-.-

Outside the room, Herc listened to the feed from the mic. _Keep him going, Newt. You're cracking him._

-.-.-

Newt looked at Peterson. _Time to lay on a question._

Peterson was staring at Newt in adoration. "What did you see?"

"Now, I can't just sit here and answer your questions all day. I do need to get some answers for myself. But I'll make you a deal: If you answer one of mine, I'll answer one of yours. Two if you provide some really useful info."

Peterson was clearly conflicted. On one hand, he wanted to keep his secrets. But the other side of him, the Kaiju worshipper, wanted to learn from the man who had melded minds with a _god_. After much struggle, the cultist side of his personality won. "Deal"

"Awesome. Okay, first of my questions: Where did you get the breaching charge from?"

Peterson paused. "There was this Chinese guy, maybe part of their internal security? He gave me the charge. What were the Kaiju's makers like?"

"Creepy. Sorry, but your response is vague, so mine is too. The more detailed your response, the more detailed mine are."

Peterson sighed. "Okay, his name was…"

-.-.-

Herc grinned. _Gotcha._

-.-.-

_1145_

An exhausted but elated Newt left the cell where Peterson was being held. He turned to Herc. "Did you get all that?"

Herc gave a wide grin. "Every last word. Well done, Newt. That was an impressive bit of work."

"Aw, it was nothing. In fact, it wasn't fair to him. He wanted to learn about the Kaiju so badly, he'd probably sell his first, second and third child for an opportunity to Drift with a Kaiju."

Herc looked at Newt.

"I mean, not literally, but…"

"I get the picture, Newt. Go get something to eat while I figure out what the bloody hell to do with this guy."

"Okay."

-.-.-

Newt felt good. He'd been worried about his former fascination… _Okay, Newt, admit it. Hermann was right, I loved them._ His former love of the Kaiju had been a liability to Newt. Now, however, he had turned it into an advantage.

Newt walked into the mess hall and saw Mako and Raleigh sitting across the table from each other. Raleigh was fixated on Mako. Mako was avoiding looking at Raleigh. Raleigh had apparently been waiting a while, because he said something and reached out and put his hand under Mako's chin. Mako jumped at the touch.

_Wow… Normally they're really big on the gentle, subtle contact. Wonder what the story is behind that. Probably something this morning._ Newt moved on to get himself some lunch. He was planning on running some sims that afternoon of Mako and Raleigh's brains as part of his ongoing effort to find out a few vital things. Why was their handshake so strong? Why did Mako take the brunt of the neural damage from Raiju's attack? How come Raleigh was able to pilot a Jaeger solo for brief periods of time? And were all of these somehow connected? Food for thought… but food first, thought second.

-.-.-

Mako had refused to look at Raleigh all morning. She hadn't spoken, and she wasn't eating. Ever since the early morning raid, she'd been… distant. Unreachable. "Mako, what's wrong?" He put his hand under her chin in an attempt to lift her gaze off her plate. She jumped as if he'd touched her with a cattle prod.

Mako looked at Raleigh, her eyes bloodshot from her crying. She barely spoke up above a whisper. "Can we talk about it somewhere more… private? Please?"

"Sure. Where do you want to go?"

Mako looked around. "Anywhere but here for starters."

Raleigh walked around the table and put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's go to the spot where we ate after our first Drift."

Mako smiled slightly. "Okay."

-.-.-

_1200_

Mako sat down looking at Raleigh. _How can I tell him? How can he understand what I'm going through?_

Raleigh sat down next to her. "Whenever you're ready, I'm here."

Mako looked at her feet. "Raleigh… I can't begin to explain my feelings and thoughts."

"Do you best anyways. You leave the feelings bottled up, they'll build pressure until you snap. And I'd hate for anyone to be on the receiving end of that."

"Raleigh…" She paused and looked at him. "What if I'd missed?"

"Huh?"

"_What. If. I. Missed._" She looked at her feet in shame.

"Mako… that was one hell of a shot."

"I just pointed the shotgun in his direction and pulled the trigger hard."

"So?"

"I nearly killed you this morning. If I had hit you in the temples, or if I hadn't knocked him out, or it had been loaded with a Taser round, or if it hadn't been ready to fire, or…"

Raleigh put his index finger on her mouth, silencing her. "Mako, don't beat yourself up over _could have_s or _what if_s. Trust me, it's not healthy. I did it for five years. Besides, I did make sure it had beanbags in the magazine."

"Raleigh, I'm so sorry."

"Why? You save my life. It's good to know I have someone who would do that for me." He drew her close to him. "Besides, I now owe you some shooting lessons. Just so you will know what to do the next time."

"Will there be a next time?"

"Would you rather be prepared for it and be pleased when it doesn't happen, or scared out of your mind when it does happen and you're not ready?"

"Point."

They sat together for a while, totally silent. Eventually, they noticed that their breathing was perfectly synchronized. They laughed and got up, looking down at the work space on the floor below. Without a word, they made their way down to the workshop and began to heat the skin and heart steel for the _katana_. Both had been folded, and were now ready to be joined into a single piece. Soon, they were ready. Mako took the pieces of steel and fitted them together.

_Perfect,_ they both thought, perfectly in unison. They looked at each other and smiled.

Raleigh took up the hammer and began the process of welding them together, guided by Mako's feelings flowing through the Ghost Drift.

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._


	15. Chapter 15

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 15**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Gipsy Danger repair bay_

_May 17, 2025_

_1800_

Herc walked into the repair bay, correctly guessing that the two Rangers would be present. "Raleigh, Mako. Got a minute?"

They put the steel into the furnace and looked at Herc. Raleigh spoke for them. "Sure, sir. What's up?"

"By now you've probably figured out that you were supposed to be on your way to Alaska."

"Yeah. But with this morning, I figured priorities had changed."

"That's part of it. Another part is that there's a major storm brewing and the recovery is being pushed back 48 hours. Finally, Tendo's at home caring for his son and wife, both of whom just came down with a nasty stomach flu."

"Ouch. Triple threat."

"Yeah, which is why I came to talk to Mako as well." Herc turned to look at her. "You're going in Tendo's place."

Mako looked puzzled for a moment. "This is because of this morning, isn't it?"

"Partially. But you're also the best qualified person to take Tendo's slot. So both of you need to start packing for Alaska." Herc looked at the steel. "Coming along nicely, I see. Right, you go get packed. You're wheels up tomorrow morning at 0900."

-.-.-

_Mess hall_

_1900_

Mako and Raleigh were grabbing dinner when Newt rushed up to them. "GUYS! I GOT IT!"

"Got what, Newt?"

"I figured out why Mako took the neural scarring from Raiju's attack, but Raleigh didn't!"

Mako looked at Newt. "Does that help you figure out a treatment?"

Newt's enthusiasm waned. "Not yet, but it's a step in the right direction."

Raleigh handed Newt his tray. "Here, come eat with us and tell us more." He looked at Mako. "I'll be right back." He headed over to the food line to get some more to eat.

Mako and Newt sat down at the old Gipsy Danger table. "So, what's so different about our brains?"

Raleigh sat down next to Mako. Newt looked at them. "It's because Raleigh's brain is wired slightly differently than most humans. It allows him to operate a Jaeger solo for short periods and protects him from neural trauma better than most people. It's why he also didn't take neural scarring from Knifehead's attack." Newt paused to take a bite of his hamburger.

"So, you're saying that Mako has to deal with the phantom injuries for the rest of her life?"

Newt swallowed. "No, I'm still working on that, I promise. I'm getting closer to finding out how to treat it. But it may be a few months, or it could be years. It's too early to tell."

Mako's face fell. "Thank you, Newt. For pushing on with the research. It means a lot to me."

"Hey, you guys saved my life. I owe you guys. It's the least I can do."

Raleigh grinned. "No problem. Hey, have they removed that ship from between the buildings yet?"

"Oh, man, I need to check. That was cool to see stuck up there, hanging in the air."

Mako finished eating. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go pack for Alaska."

Raleigh held her hand briefly. "I'll be along soon. Make sure to pack the Array."

"Will do."

Mako left the mess hall and headed to her quarters.

Raleigh waited until she had left, then turned to Newt. "I need your help with something."

"If it's a secret project for Mako, and she gets wind I helped you…"

"No, nothing like that. I'm wondering if there's any way to get a recording from the Drift. In particular, from a particular RABIT."

"Maybe. Depends on what you want to use it for."

"My sister never got to say goodbye to my brother, and I think it'd help her get some closure if she could see the Anchorage engagement from my perspective."

"I'll see what I can do. Sometime after you get back from Alaska?"

"Sure."

"Cool. Have fun in Alaska!"

-.-.-

_Anchorage, Alaska_

_May 18, 2025_

_0240 Alaska Daylight Time_

_(May 18, 2025, 1740 Hong Kong time)_

Mako and Raleigh walked down the jetway, yawning. Mako leaned on Raleigh. "I hate international air travel, especially with the International Date Line thrown into the mix."

"Yeah… Might as well get a little sleep once we get to the hotel."

The two Rangers walked towards the baggage claim. Waiting for them just outside the security zone was a man holding a sign that simply read "PPDC." They approached him.

The man looked at Raleigh. "Raleigh Beckett?"

"That'd be me, sir. And this is Mako Mori."

"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am. Let's get your luggage, and we'll be off for the hotel."

-.-.-

"You probably don't recognize me, Raleigh, but I was there when your brother died."

Raleigh looked at the man. "No, I don't. Were you on the _Saltchuck_?"

Their driver smiled. "Indeed I was. I wish Captain Merrit could be here, but he left Alaska about four years ago."

Mako looked at the driver. "Why?"

"Market tanked. Merrit went somewhere else. _Saltchuck_ remains in service, fishing for crab."

Raleigh nodded. He'd grown up in the area and understood the fishing economy. "Sorry to hear that."

"Thanks. Ah, here's the hotel. Let's get you two squared away for the rest of the morning, shall we?"

-.-.-

_Anchorage Harbor_

_1000_

Mako pulled her new-old bomber jacket tighter around her shoulders. "It's _cold_ here, even in May!" She looked at Raleigh, who was wearing a long-sleeved shirt. "How are you not cold?"

Raleigh laughed. "Mako, I'm used to the cold. I can't stand the heat, though." He looked around and held his arms out. "This is a nice day to me."

Mako shook her head in amusement. "I'll always like the heat. Having grown up on Tanegashima, so much closer to the equator, I can't imagine living here."

The lead engineer on the salvage team came to meet them. "Welcome aboard, Rangers. We're about ready to cast off, so if you'll follow me, we'll get started." He walked to a gangplank and walked up it to board the ship. Mako and Raleigh followed, eager to get started on the project.

-.-.-

_1400_

Mako stood on the aft deck of the command ship, walking around the ROVs that would be used to prepare Gipsy Danger's left arm for salvage. _They're so cleverly designed. And to think some of these were designed and built more than a decade ago…_ Mako looked at the faded logo on the side. UHD. She cocked her head, trying to decide what it meant.

A voice came from behind her. "Ultra Heavy Duty."

Mako whirled around, nearly losing her balance on the slick deck.

The crewmember caught her and held her steady. "Whoa, there. Easy does it, ma'am. It gets slick back here." She looked at Mako. "Hey, I know you. You're Mako Mori!"

Mako blushed. She hated being recognized in public. "Yes, I am. I was just admiring the ROV."

"Ah. Yeah, they don't make them quite as often as they used to. The Breach kinda dampened deep-sea work in the Pacific. This one's a FMC Technologies UHD. She was fitted with a pair of Titan 4 manipulators at the time of her assembly in late 2012. They're good arms, and have a remarkable track record of reliability and precision." The crewmember walked around the front of the ROV. "I help keep this particular ROV maintained. She's one of a kind now, given all the repairs she's had over the last 12 years."

"Just like Gipsy Danger was after I finished her upgrades."

The crewmember looked at Mako. "Wait, you were a tech first, then became a Ranger?"

Mako smiled. "Other way around. Ranger first, but didn't have a Jaeger to ride in… or a suitable co-pilot. So I was put in charge of restoring Gipsy Danger from the damage suffered in the fight here, more than five years ago."

"What's it like to pilot a Jaeger?"

"Incredible. There's nothing like it. You have to share your darkest secrets, you deepest desires… everything. And that's just so that you can make it move. Combat? It's intense." _LET'S GET THIS SON OF A B…_

"I've served in combat. Two tours in the Rockpile. Had a couple of firefights… but we always got air cover. You never had any backup other than another Jaeger, right?"

"My two drops? We were the backup."

"Oh."

Mako looked at the Titan 4 arm with a practiced eye. "Where are the hydraulic lines?"

The tech brightened, happy to continue with the shop talk. "Oh, they're integrated into the sides of the arms. The sides of the arms are made from four plates of precision machined titanium. The outer two are solid, the inner two have a network of grooves milled into them."

Mako ran her hand over the arm skins. "Welded or brazed?"

"Neither. Diffusion bonded."

"Brilliant."

"Yeah, it's part of the reason that the arms can be rated for ops at up to 7 kilometers beneath the surface. Only specially designed, one-off arms can work at greater depths and pressures."

Mako smiled. She was in her element. "And this? Some sort of pressure vessel…"

"Electronics compartment." The tech walked over to her and began to point other items out. "And this is…"

-.-.-

Raleigh watched Mako from the rear of the bridge superstructure. _She's happily meeting new people outside of the Shatterdome. Yes, she talking shop, but still…_

"Mr. Beckett, we're ready."

"Be right there." _Come into the briefing room when you're ready, Mako. Enjoy yourself first._ He turned around and walked through the hatch.

"Will Ms. Mori be joining us?"

"No, she's talking shop with one of the ROV techs."

"Is that good?"

"She's been a little reclusive since Pitfall, sir."

The project leader nodded. "Reminds me of my son when he came back from Iraq for the third time. Hard to get him to engage with the civilian world. He just wanted to talk shop at first, but that slowly led to him opening up."

"How's he doing now?"

"Good. Runs a motorcycle shop in Iowa now."

They entered into the briefing room. A large holodisplay was located in the center of the room. The senior staff for the recovery effort were gathered around it. On the display was an image of the seabed with the arm laying on its side. Raleigh thought it might be a still, until he saw a shark swim past the tip of the now-dead plasma cannon. _Very cool_.

"Okay, we're almost to the site. Here's the arm as it lies now. It's in about 25 meters of water, which is shallow enough that we can use divers. However, we've come with the ROVs as a backup in case the divers aren't able to complete the task safely. Mr. Beckett, any serious hazards to be aware of?"

Raleigh leaned in to look at the image of the arm. He circled the shoulder. "Obviously, there's a lot of sharp metal here. The arm weighs a couple hundred tons, so there are a lot of crush hazards. I'm not sure how the arm will react to being moved, so steer clear of all joints and moving parts, especially around here." Raleigh circled the plasma cannon muzzle. "This may retract back into a hand under the right circumstances. The panels alongside the arm, here, here, and here, will retract with the hand." He paused looking for more hazards.

Mako walked into the room, alerted by the powerful Ghost Drift the two Rangers shared. "The arm is not likely to switch back to being a hand, but it is a concern nonetheless. Be mindful of the shoulder panel, as it is likely loose from the damage. Other than that, there shouldn't be any more serious hazards."

The project leader looked at the two Rangers. He'd heard of the Ghost drift, but hadn't seen it in action before. "Where do you suggest we tie off to?"

Mako looked at the display. "I'd attach just below the shoulder, just below the elbow, and just above the wrist. There's a couple of structural elements there for you to grab onto."

"Perfect. Alright, people, let's get cracking. We've got about 20 minutes before we arrive on site, and a lot to do before we get our feet wet."


	16. Chapter 16

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 16**

_Gulf of Alaska_

_7 miles offshore from Anchorage_

_May 19, 2025_

_1200_

Mako and Raleigh stood watching the cables slowly climb from the water, drawing Gipsy Danger's severed left arm from its watery home of the last five years. They looked down into the water, and were greeted by the red and white stripe of the shoulder pauldron becoming visible. Shortly thereafter, the rest of the arm appeared in the frigid seas.

Mako looked to Raleigh, who was clearly lost in thought. _I know what he's thinking about… I've seen it before._ Mako's mind went back to their first Drift. _The hull! It went through the hull! Raleigh, listen to me! You need – AAAAAHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOO!_ She silently put her right hand atop Raleigh's left.

Slowly, the arm breached the surface, drawing gasps from the members of the crew who had never been around a Jaeger's wreckage before. Everything about a Jaeger was huge… except for the pilots in the Conn Pod. Even the project leader whistled in respect as he walked up to the Rangers. "I knew Jaegers were big, but that puts it into perspective." He looked at Raleigh and Mako. "You guys _drove_ the thing that came off of?"

Raleigh was still lost in his memories, but Mako turned to face the man. "Yes. And Raleigh lost his brother in the attack. He's one of only two pilots to have survived the loss of a copilot and still finished the fight." She looked at the arm. "AFTER having that cut off by a Kaiju."

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay. Not many people outside the PPDC know. All most people care about is whether or not the Jaeger stopped the Kaiju."

"We saw the skeleton not far from here. Looks like parts of it were melted. That thing did it?"

"No, the other arm, actually. The one now in pieces at the bottom of the Marianas Trench, if any of it survived the nuke."

Raleigh snapped out of his funk. "Yeah, this one was almost ready to fire when Knifehead severed it. Never fired a shot that night." He looked out over the water. "Do you happen to have any scans of the area?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Mako gasped. _Yancy._

"My brother was still tied into about five tons of metal when he was taken from me. If we can find his remains…"

"I'll get them pulled up."

One last thing: My phone has no coverage here. Can I use one of yours? I need to make a call…"

-.-.-

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Marshall Hansen's quarters_

_May 20, 2025_

_0615 (May 19, 2025 1215 Alaska time)_

_Beedlebeedle._

_Beedlebeedle._

Herc slowly rolled over and picked up the phone. "'lo?"

"Sorry to have woken you, Herc, but I have a favor to ask."

"No worries, Raleigh. I needed to get up anyhow. What's up?"

"The recovery team here thinks that they might be able to locate Yancy's remains."

Herc paused. It had been five years since Yancy had been lost. "Raleigh, there's not going to be much left of him…"

"I know, sir. But he deserves more than to be left here."

"I'll dispatch an honor guard and a casket."

"Thank you, sir."

"No worries, mate."

_Click._

Herc looked over at Max. "C'mere, you big baby. Let's get some breakfast."

Max perked up at the mention of food.

Herc shook his head. _I swear he has a second stomach tucked between those ears. Reminds me a lot of Chuck in that regard._

-.-.-

_1400 Alaska Daylight Time_

Raleigh and Mako pored over the sonar scans, looking for the telltale shape of the right side of the Conn Pod. It had been nearly two hours, and they had not had much luck. Mako decided to go for a walk on the deck of the command ship. Raleigh stayed, fixated on finding his brother and bringing him home for the last time.

Mako looked back at Raleigh as she stepped through the hatch. _He looks so sad, but I need a breath of fresh air._ She headed over to the gangplank that lead to the barge they had placed the arm on.

"You look a little lost in thought, ma'am."

Mako slowly turned to see who it was. It was the ROV tech. "Yes. Raleigh is looking for his brother's remains."

"I heard. I cried so much when I heard he had died. I was a big fan of them, and of Gipsy."

Mako started to walk across to the arm. "If you would like, I can show you some of the intricate details of the arm, and the I19 Plasmacaster that makes up a large portion of it."

"I'd love to. I'm Emily, by the way. Emily Baxter."

"Call me Mako, please."

"No problem. So, Mako, what's this do?"

"That's one of the focal arrays. See, plasma…"

-.-.-

Raleigh hung his head in disappointment. _I failed you again, Yancy. You've been gone five years, and I still can't manage to bring you back home._ He looked outside. The skies were clear, the winds were calm, and the seas were flat. _So different from that night._ He saw Mako giving the ROV tech a guided tour of the arm. _Maybe she has the right idea. I need to get away from this for a bit._ Raleigh went outside to meet Mako and her new friend.

As he approached, he could here Mako in full-on tech mode. _I love it when she does that, even when it goes over my head. She's so cute like that._ He moved up closer to see what they were looking at. _Ah, the markings on the knuckles._

Mako felt Raleigh's approach more than she heard it. The maelstrom of emotions emanating from him diminished slightly as he approached, replaced by the feelings Mako had come to interpret as his adoration for her. "Hello, Raleigh."

Emily jumped, surprised both by Mako's uncanny ability to tell that Raleigh was behind them, and also due to her proximity to her childhood crush. "Uhhh… Hi."

Raleigh laughed. "I'm Raleigh. What's your name?"

"I'm Emily."

"Lemme guess, you were a big Gipsy fan."

"Yeah… Mako, thanks for the tour, I just remembers I have some stuff I want to do."

"No, you are staying, Emily." Mako grabbed the fleeing tech's wrist. "Come on, don't be shy!"

"I'm not shy! I've got work to do!"

"It's not important enough that it kept you from coming with me."

At that, Emily gave up struggling.

Raleigh laughed harder. "Who are you, and what have you done with Mako?"

Mako punched him in the shoulder.

"Okay, that's the Mako I know." He turned to Emily. "Okay, I have a question for you, Emily. How long did you cry after I left the Ranger Corps?"

"Buhhh…." Emily's mind had been melted by Raleigh's question. "Huh?"

"Come on, I can tell when a girl had a crush on me back in my glory days. So, how long did you cry when I left the Corps?"

"Uhm…" Emily grabbed her ponytail and started playing with it. "A few days, I guess."

"Don't be embarrassed, Emily. That's pretty common. Believe me, I heard it all."

"Whaaa?"

"Emily, we were like rock stars. Hero worship was something that got to even our heads from time to time." Raleigh crouched down, laying a hand on Gipsy's arm. "But that night five years ago… When this happened, when Yancy died…" He looked at Emily. "It all changed. It wasn't a game anymore. I was still connected to him when he died. When Knifehead tore his side of the Conn Pod apart and dragged him into the hurricane we were fighting in." _Raleigh, listen to me! You need – AAAAAAHHHH! _"He's still here somewhere. His remains, anyways."

"I'm so sorry. I knew he died, but I didn't know how."

"They kept it pretty quiet. Morale and all, you know."

Emily slowly stood up. "I… I…"

Mako looked at her. "Lots of people lost loved ones to the Kaiju. I lost my adoptive father to two at once."

Emily looked at Mako. "Two? Hong Kong?"

"No, the assault on the Breach. He was copiloting Striker Eureka." Mako drifted into her memories briefly before snapping back to reality.

"I'm so sorry for both of your losses. I… I'll leave you alone for now."

Mako stood. "No, I'll go with you for a bit, but then I'm going to go back to searching the sonar scans."

"Can I help?"

Mako looked at Raleigh, lost in his memories. "Sure, Emily. Maybe a fresh set of eyes will spot something we missed."

-.-.-

Raleigh knelt by the arm, remembering the times with Yancy. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Mako and Emily, waiting for them to disappear into the superstructure of the command ship. Finally, they vanished from sight. _Okay, Raleigh. Let's do this._

Raleigh moved to a particular spot on the wrecked arm, right by the emitter for the plasma cannon. He was looking for one particular piece of stainless steel… _Aha. There it is._ Raleigh borrowed a set of pliers and gently teased the 15 centimeter rod of metal out of its resting place. _Perfect for my secret project._ He quickly returned the pliers to their place and slipped the metal rod into his jacket. _Now to hide this until I get back to the Shatterdome…_

-.-.-

_1430_

Raleigh came back to the holotable and began to search the display. As usual, nothing stood out. _Next._

Mako flipped to the next sector… and Raleigh froze. Mako followed his sightline. It was the missing piece of the Conn Pod. She walked over to Raleigh and hugged him, then looked into his eyes.

He was crying. "It's him, Mako. He's finally going home."

Mako smiled, not saying a word. There was nothing to say.

-.-.-

_May 20, 2025_

_1200_

The divers were carefully removing Yancy's remains from the tangled mess of the Con Pod wreckage. As expected, there wasn't much left.

Raleigh didn't care. Yancy's casket would no longer be empty. He would be going home a hero, instead of being forgotten and left at sea.

Mako had stayed with Raleigh the entire time since the discovery. He had done the same for her during their trip to Tokyo. _At last he has some closure._

A radio nearby crackled to life. "_We're done with retrieving Yancy. Do you want to retrieve the Conn Pod wreckage too?_"

Raleigh thought about it for a while. "Not all of it, no. Bring up a few chunks of the hull, though." He looked at Mako. "I might have a use for them."

Mako squeezed Raleigh's hand. "Anatanokokoroni ken nodo no yōna mono ga arimasu ka?" _What kind of sword do you have in mind?_

Raleigh smiled at her. "De wanai ken... Shikashi, watashi wa watashi ga nanika o kangaerudarou to kakushin shite imasu." _Not a sword... But I'm sure I'll think of something._

"_We've got a couple of hefty pieces. Probably about 20 pounds. That sound good?"_

"Yeah, that's plenty. Thanks, guys."

"_No problem._"

The divers would be needing another half hour for decompression, but the casket and steel could be sent straight to the surface. As such, Raleigh waited for the casket to arrive via crane. He watched it rise from the depths, and walked over to it once it arrived on the barge. Raleigh knelt down next to the casket. Mako followed suit.

Raleigh put his hand on the casket. He waited a moment, gathering his thoughts. Finally, he spoke, barely above a whisper.

"Yancy… We won. It took a lot longer than we'd thought, and it was harder than we'd hoped. We lost a lot of good people. All the Jaegers are gone. But we won." He hung his head. "We won."

Mako laid her right hand on Raleigh's back. "Yancy, I know I never met you. But from what your brother says, I would have really liked you." She paused, fighting back tears for a man she'd never met, or ever would. "I…" She hung her head, unable to find the words to express her emotions.

Raleigh spoke again. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come find you. But I did, and you're going home at last. I hope you can forgive me, both for taking so long to come back for you, and for not being able to bring Gipsy back home at the end of the war. She's gone, old man. I used her self-destruct to close the Breach. But without her, I'd have never met Mako. And without your death, I probably wouldn't have been Drift compatible with her. So if you're up there somewhere, watching me…"

A single tear splashed across the casket.

"Thank you."


	17. Chapter 17

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 17**

_Anchorage, Alaska_

_May 20, 2025_

_1800 Alaska Daylight Time_

"Hello?"

"Jazmine, its Raleigh."

"Hey, Rals. What's up?"

"You sitting down right now?"

"Should I be?"

"Yes."

"One second…"

Raleigh waited.

"Okay, shoot."

"Bang."

"Haha, very funny. What's so important? You and Mako engaged?"

Raleigh looked at Mako, who was watching the waves go past as the command ship returned to port. "No, not yet."

"Then why'd you ask me to sit down?"

"We just recovered Yancy's body today."

-.-.-

Jazmine froze. _Did he just say that they are only now recovering the body?_ "WHAT THE HELL TOOK YOU SO LONG?"

-.-.-

Mako heard Jazmine clearly, even though she was several feet from the phone, which was _not_ on speakerphone mode. She walked over to Raleigh, ready to provide backup if needed.

Raleigh eased the phone back to his ear. "Jaz, we couldn't recover the body for a while due to the fact that there was a freshly dead and still decomposing Kaiju nearby, the brass were trying to figure out whether to try and retain me or kick me out of the program, and they were trying to figure out what to do with Gipsy Danger. By the time the PPDC was done with those, the attacks were ramping up again, and there just wasn't enough time to do an extensive survey to search for Yancy. The only reason we found him was because we were in the area recovering Gipsy's left arm for the museum."

Jazmine was silent for a while, fuming. Finally, she replied, much calmer. "Well, at least you found him. Any plans for his burial/funeral?"

"I was hoping you would like to come to the PPDC Cemetery in Hawaii for the ceremony."

"Hmph. I'm tempted to say no to make a point… but he's family. I'll be there. When?"

"I know its short notice, but… Friday."

"FRIDAY? Ohmigod, I need to call the office and tell them I'm not going to be able to make it in! Wait, airfare? Hotel?"

"We'll cover the expenses. You'll be flying on Hawaiian Airlines Flight 19 on Friday morning. It departs at 9 AM. You'll arrive at about 11 AM local time. The ceremony will be at sundown. You'll leave on Flight 20 at about 2 PM the next day and be back in Sacramento by 11 PM."

"No time to play tourist…"

"Nest time, Jaz. I promise."

"I'm gonna hold you to that, mister." She sighed. "Alright, lemme call the office and tell them I'm not going to be in on Friday."

"See you Friday."

"Okay."

_Click._

Raleigh looked up and saw the docks approaching swiftly. _Time to get ready._

-.-.-

_1830_

Raleigh and Mako were met by six Strike Troopers in full dress uniform. _The Honor Guard_. Mako had interacted with them before, when Tamsin had died. Now, however, Mako was old enough to be a part of it, if she so chose. However, she felt her place was alongside Raleigh as he prepared to finally lay his brother to rest.

The six troopers walked in unison to the casket, picked it up, and began to walk back up the gangplank. Raleigh and Mako followed, silently holding hands. Waiting on the dock was a hearse, chartered to take the casket to the airport, and a small sedan, which was waiting for Mako and Raleigh. They climbed in and headed to their hotel to collect their bags.

Halfway to the hotel, Mako looked over at Raleigh. _I haven't seen him like this since the day after Pitfall._ "You okay, Raleigh?"

"Yeah… Just lost in thought."

Mako closed her eyes and focused on the little tickle at the back of her brain she associated with the Ghost Drift. She'd been trying to feel out its limits, and if she focused enough, she could pick out semi-coherent thoughts from Raleigh. And it got stronger with every Drift they shared. _Let's see how far I can push it this time…_

_Raleigh, listen to me!_

Mako slowly opened her eyes, unsurprised. "Remember what you told me right before that last drop?"

Raleigh continued to look out the window. "Yeah, I do. 'All those years I spent living in the past, I never really thought about the future…'"

"Then think about the future. The past is unchangeable now. The future is what you make it to be."

Raleigh continued to look out the window, pensive.

Mako closed her eyes and laid her head back again. _Then again, perhaps I should follow my own advice. What do I want to do with my life after the PPDC closes?_

-.-.-

_2130_

The Boeing 737 roared aloft, carrying Mako and Raleigh on their way to Seattle, where they would spend a few hours of downtime before catching another flight to Hawaii. Mako has the window seat, as had become their habit during their world tour following the closure of the Breach. Mako looked outside, watching the night sky. Several minutes passed as Raleigh watched Mako looking out the window like a child, utterly delighted. _She always does that. I wonder why?_ Eventually, Raleigh laid his chair back as far as he could take it, and closed his eyes.

Raleigh was just about to fall asleep into a nap when Mako grabbed his shoulder and gently shook it. "Raleigh, look!" She pointed out the window. "The Northern Lights." He leaned across her lap to look.

All around the aircraft, high above in the upper atmosphere, the skies came alive in ribbons of color. It started off in an unusual red, before becoming the more typical green. Mako was entranced. _I've read about them, but I've never seen them before. They're beautiful._ The cabin crew turned down the lights so that the passengers could enjoy the lightshow from above. Mako looked as high above as she could. _They climb upwards for what seems like forever!_

Slowly, the lights began to fade away as the plane moved south. Raleigh smiled at Mako. "Beautiful, weren't they?"

Mako nodded, eyes bright.

"I remember the first time I saw them, when I was out camping with my dad and Yancy."

"I'd like to go someday."

"Camping?"

Mako nodded.

"Well, I'll see what I can find around Sacramento while we're there. Herc said we wouldn't be spending all of our time working, and to enjoy ourselves."

"I'm sure Jazmine knows where to look, at least."

Raleigh lay back in his chair again. "She was always more of the big city girl. Wanted to go to the fancy college, go shopping, that kind of thing."

Mako rolled her eyes. She _hated_ the mall.

"She'll probably drag you out to one, you know."

"She'll try, I have no doubt. But she shall not succeed."

"Mako, she's just as stubborn as I am."

"We'll see. There are days when I swear we could have used your skull as armor for Gipsy Danger."

"Ha ha."

"I thought it was funny!"

"Don't quit your day job."

"What is my day job, anyways? Ever since we finished up the tour, you and I have been without real jobs."

"Well… Huh, you have a point." Raleigh opened his eyes again. "Never thought about that."

"What would you want to do once we're done in Hong Kong?"

"What can I do? I never technically graduated high school after my mom died. I just went straight to the Academy. Then I spent a few years as a Ranger, then almost five being a construction worker on the Wall. Not a very good resume. You've got it better off, right?"

"Let's see… I never even made it to high school. I learned all I needed to in the Shatterdome or at the Academy. My life the last nine years has revolved around the Kaiju war. I think you have it better than I do."

"You've got the practical experience of rebuilding Gipsy. I'm sure that you've got plenty of engineering skills you can market."

"And you did steelwork, right? There's going to be a lot of rebuilding and fresh construction."

"Yeah, me and a half million others who worked the Wall. Face it, Mako. You have the better job prospects."

Mako looked back out the window. "I guess you're right. Still, what would your dream job be?"

Raleigh sighed and closed his eyes. "I've got no idea. I think I'm going to try a couple of different jobs and find out what I'm good at. You?"

"I think that's a good idea. I might try that. Although I might try college."

Raleigh cracked an eye and looked at her. "College?"

"Why not? I missed high school, so I want the experience of public school of some sort. Besides, I should be able to fly through any engineering program."

He put his head back on the head rest and closed his eye. "Heh. True."

"Would you go to college?"

Raleigh opened his mouth, about to scoff at the idea… then closed it. _That's actually a good idea._ "You know, I just might. If you want to go, I'll go with you. I'm sure there's something for me to study."

"Well, we've still got a few months to figure it all out."

"Yeah. Hard to believe that we're going to be civilians come September 1st."

"The severance package is nice, though. $7500 a month for life? We could both lead comfortable lives on that alone."

"Or pay for college tuition and a nice apartment for each of us."

"Raleigh, you say that like we'd be living apart. We've shared a bed, an apartment is well within reason. Even if it's in separate rooms." Mako paused. "Actually, I don't think I'd trust anyone else to be my roommate."

Raleigh smiled. "Mako, we've shared our _minds_ with each other. Our deepest secrets and desires. There's no deeper trust than that." He opened his eyes and looked Mako in the eyes. "And no deeper bond. And I'm happy to share that with you." He kissed her on the forehead. "Now get a little shuteye, we've got a crazy week ahead. Yancy's funeral, checking out the memorial site, back to Hong Kong, then to California."

"Raleigh… would you stay in California?"

"A little warm for my tastes, but I guess I can adapt."

"Raleigh, I'm trying to have a serious conversation."

"And I'm trying to rest. Come on, Mako. We've got the layover in Seattle and the flight to Hawaii to talk."

Mako punched him in the shoulder. Hard.

"OW! Alright, alright. I'm awake now." He sat up and opened his eyes.

She gave him an inquiring look.

"Gah… I guess it depends on what there is to offer there." He rubbed his face. "Look, we can take a look when we're there, but we've got a lot to deal with first. Yancy, the memorial, the _katana_, the museum…"

Mako shook her head in dismay. "Raleigh Becket, you are avoiding the question."

"Mako, it depends on what's there for me."

"Try to think ahead, Raleigh."

"Mako, I don't know what I want to do for the rest of my life. And right now, I'm too tired to start doing so effectively." He laid back and rolled away from Mako. "Goodnight, Mako."

Mako stared at Raleigh. _Did he just blow me off? Grrrrrrrrr…_

-.-.-

_PPDC Memorial Cemetery_

_Oahu, Hawaii_

_May 21, 2025_

_1530_

Raleigh looked at Mako, concern visible on his face. _She hasn't spoken to me since last night on the flight to Seattle… I really messed up._ "Mako?"

Mako just looked out over the cemetery, seemingly ignoring Raleigh.

"Mako, I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to…"

Mako finally faced Raleigh. "Didn't mean to what? Blow me off in the middle of a conversation? Over a little sleep? While I was trying to have a serious conversation?"

"I didn't mean to cut the conversation off totally. I just wanted a break to think. It's hard to break habit five years entrenched of not thinking ahead."

Mako was about to reply, but bit her tongue instead. _He's got a point._ "Sorry, Raleigh. I'm just excited and nervous. I spent much of my formative years with the PPDC, and I don't know what life holds for me. But I'm going to take charge of my future. I'm done with having someone or something dictate my future. Not a Kaiju, not a Marshall, and especially not my past." She took Raleigh's hand.

"Mako, I wish I knew where my future lay."

"Who says I know where mine is? I'm going to find out, though."

"Care for some company on that journey?"


	18. Chapter 18

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 18**

_PPDC Memorial Cemetery_

_Oahu, Hawaii_

_May 22, 2025_

_0800_

Herc and Max had both flown out to Hawaii for the pre-arranged meeting about the Ranger Memorial. Now, there was a funeral to attend as well. _Second, more proper funeral, not some rushed wartime empty-casket job._ Herc looked out over the tombstones. _Chuck wasn't so lucky… I had to put some scrap pieces of Striker into the casket as a substitute._

_No father should outlive their son._

Raleigh walked over to Herc. "Sir, we're ready when you are."

"I'll be there in a moment."

Raleigh looked at what Herc stood in front of. _Ah._ "I'll give you some space, sir." He walked back to the main group.

Herc knelt down. "Chuck, I know you're not here. But this is all I have left of you. A tombstone marking an empty coffin…" He paused to wipe away a tear. "It should have been me and Pentecost in Striker. Last stand of the old guard, and all that." Another tear, another pause. "You should be the one here alongside Raleigh and Mako, planning the Memorial. I know you hated Raleigh, but I also know you had a thing for Mako. You never showed it, probably didn't even realize it yourself, but the signs were there. Yeah, you two really struck sparks. But I suspect that you two would have been one hell of a team. You both had a big chip on your shoulders. You both had issues with your father. You both were perfectionists. And I saw that one time you two sparred in the Kwoon. My god, the moves you had. Not quite like that last round with Mako and Raleigh, but close. You two would have been compatible, I'm sure." Herc looked out towards the sea, and sighed. "I know you never forgave me for rescuing you instead of your mother, but she would have felt the same. I thought that by saving you, you'd eventually have kids of your own and understand why I did what I did that day. Guess it didn't matter in the long run." Herc looked back at the group. "Of course, without any Kaiju to fight, you'd probably have gone crazy by now. Mako and Raleigh… well, they're trying to figure out what they're going to do, now that the war is over. At least I know what I'm going to do: Find a nice house on the outskirts of Melbourne, retire… maybe write a memoir."

_Whine…_

"Max says hello. He's really missing you. He still can't quite get used to the Shatterdome being so quiet. On that note, we're turning it into a museum. Gipsy's left arm from Anchorage, Crimson Typhoon's body… Maybe some other stuff, if we can decontaminate it and retrieve it from Oblivion Bay. Anyways, enough of my rambling. I need to go to the meeting about the Ranger Memorial. You'd hate it. 'Hope, Sacrifice, Love.' You're 'Sacrifice,' by the way. You and Pentecost. You can probably guess who 'Love' is." Herc smiled. "Mako and Raleigh are inseparable these days."

"Marshall Hansen, are you okay?"

"Anyways, duty calls." Herc stood up, turning to face the assembled group. "Yeah, I'm fine." He stepped aside, allowing the VIPs to see whose grave he'd been at.

"Oh, sorry to have disturbed you."

"No worries, mate. Let's get this over with."

-.-.-

_Mako and Raleigh's hotel room_

_1100_

Mako and Raleigh had found a relatively secluded beach on the eastern side of the island of Oahu to unwind for a while, and had been preparing to go spend the afternoon doing just that. However, a snag had arisen over wardrobe. Raleigh had packed some shorts and swim trunks. Mako, on the other hand, didn't have anything other than her usual cargo pants.

"Mako… It's Hawaii. Tropical island paradise in real life. Why didn't you bring anything for the beach?"

Mako looked at the floor, embarrassed. "I… I thought we'd be going back home first."

"Mako, it's okay. We can swing by a mall or something…"

Mako's head snapped up at the mention of a mall, eyes dark with determination. "No. We're not going to the mall, and that's final."

"Then let me go in and buy it."

"How will you know if it fits me?"

Raleigh smiled and produced a small tape measure.

Mako's eyes bugged. "On second thought, I'll be fine in the cargo pants." She grabbed the cooler of food. "Let's go, Raleigh."

Raleigh roared with laughter. "Okay, Mako. You win. But I bet my sister drags you kicking and screaming to a mall. Or worse, gives you a makeover."

"Fifty bucks says she fails to get me there."

"Double or nothing on the makeover."

"You're on, Raleigh."

The two Rangers shook hands, then headed for their rental car.

-.-.-

_Waimanalo Beach, Hawaii_

_1600_

_Beedlebeedle._

_Beedlebeedle._

Raleigh looked at the number for the incoming call and groaned.

Mako looked at him in dismay. "I thought you turned that off?"

"Herc said to leave it on in case of an emergency."

"Is it an emergency?"

"What does my sister qualify as?"

"Take the call."

"Hey, sis. What's up?"

"Calling to double check that you're picking me up at the airport, right?"

"Yes, we are."

"In person?"

"Yes. Both of us will be there."

"Great! I- wait, is that the ocean I hear in the background? Are you on the beach?"

"We are. We _were_ enjoying some much earned peace and quiet."

"What's Mako wearing? I've heard she's a bit of a tomboy…"

_Mako's gonna kill me for this but… _"Tank top, cargo pants, and combat boots."

Mako could clearly hear the laughs from where she lay, almost a meter from the phone.

"Oh, my dear brother. I'm going to take her shopping someday… You'll barely recognize her when I'm done!"

"I'd pay good money to watch you try. She avoids malls like they're infested with zombies."

"Even better. Too bad I can't take her in Hawaii."

"You don't want to. It's really expensive here."

"True… but you guys got a really nice reward for saving the planet, right?"

"Not as much as you're thinking… but yeah, there's a healthy income waiting for us once we're mustered out."

"I know you, Raleigh. You're not going to just sit back and enjoy a very early retirement."

"Yeah, I just don't know what I want to do."

"You'll find something. Mako too. I know it."

"Thanks, Jaz."

"Okay, I'll let you get back to your beach date. Oh, and tell Mako that when I have my mind set on going to the mall, even Slattern doesn't stand a chance of stopping me."

Raleigh roared with laughter. "Yeah, that's about right." He held the phone away from him for a moment. "Mako, you'd better have a Jaeger or two behind you if you don't want to go to the mall with Jazmine. She says, and I do quote, 'When I have my mind set on going to the mall, even Slattern doesn't stand a chance of stopping me.'"

Mako got a smug look on her face. "Give me the phone quickly."

"Okay." Raleigh grinned as he handed his phone over.

"Jazmine, remember who killed Slattern? Me and your brother."

"Oh, right."

Raleigh began to laugh even harder.

"Mako, punch him for me, please?"

"With pleasure."

"No! NonononoAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Raleigh tore down the beach, Mako in hot pursuit.

"Get back here, you baby!"

-.-.-

_Honolulu International Airport_

_Terminal Z_

_May 23, 2025_

_1115 Hawaiian Daylight Time_

Mako and Raleigh were wearing their dress uniforms, waiting for Jazmine to arrive. Raleigh paced nervously, which was irritating Mako.

"Raleigh, knock it off."

"Huh? Oh, the pacing. Sorry."

Suddenly, a large influx of passengers came towards Mako and Raleigh's location. Raleigh relaxed. "About time…"

Jazmine wound her way through the crowds towards her big brother and his copilot. "RALS!" She wrapped her brother in a bear hug.

"Jaz! How was the flight?"

"Movie was okay, but those Pau Hana macadamia shortbread cookies were awesome!" Jazmine let go of Raleigh and turned to Mako. "Nice to finally meet you in person, Mako."

"Same here."

Raleigh looked over at the mass of bags on the carousel. "I hope you don't have any checked luggage…"

"No, just a carryon. Oh, did you know they don't hand load your bags on the big jets? They stick'em into these big metal boxes and then put those into the plane. I guess it's faster than stacking them by hand…"

Raleigh sighed. "Jaz, remember why we're here?"

"Oh. Right." Jazmine's face fell. "Killjoy."

"Come on, we need to get back to the cemetery for some last minute stuff. And you need to get changed."

"True. Lead on, Raleigh."

-.-.-

_PPDC Cemetery_

_1400_

Mako and Jazmine looked at Raleigh in concern. He'd been silent for a while now as they began the final preparations for the ceremony. Jazmine dragged Mako over to the side.

"What's he thinking right now?"

"Jazmine, the Ghost Drift is different from a regular Drift. It sometimes can reveal coherent thoughts, but more often it simply conveys emotions and feelings."

"Oh. I'd heard rumors about the bond between Rangers being so strong that they were able to finish each other's sentences, grab a bandage when the other cut themselves, that sort of thing."

"We're not like that. At least, not yet. We don't have enough time together in the Drift."

"Wait, you're still Drifting? I thought the Jaegers were the only place you could Drift!"

"No, that's just the most common application of the technology. We have a private-use one. We haven't used it since the day we found Yancy."

"Oh. Well, what do you feel from him?"

Mako closed her eyes. "Pain. Sorrow. Loss. Cold. Fear." _Raleigh, listen to me! You need-AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! _Mako's eyes slowly opened. "He's reliving that night."

Jazmine ran to Raleigh and hugged him. "Let it go, Raleigh. You can't change the past."

"Jaz…"

"Raleigh, listen to me! You need to let it go."

Raleigh looked like he'd been hit with an electric shock.

Mako's eyes bugged.

"What did I say?"

Mako walked over to her. "Yancy's last words were eerily similar to your statement."

"What?"

Raleigh quoted Yancy. "Raleigh, listen to me! You need…"

"You need what?"

"I never found out, because that's when Knifehead tore away his half of the Conn Pod." Raleigh smiled. "You just filled in the blank that's kept me guessing for the last five years." He scooped his sister up in a crushing hug. "Thank you."

-.-.-

_1900_

The Marines stationed National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific had been kind enough to train the PPDC troops who manned the PPDC Cemetery. Their training showed.

A brief nod from Herc set the ceremony in motion. A senior Sergeant from the Shatterdome, a former Marine himself, began the calls.

"READY!"

A rattle as the seven PPDC Strike Troopers cycled the actions on the loaned M-1 rifles.

"AIM!"

The soldiers aimed skyward.

"FIRE!"

_CRACK._ The rifles fired in perfect unison.

"READY!"

_Rattle._

"AIM!"

_Swish._

"FIRE!"

_CRACK._

"READY!"

_Rattle._

"AIM!"

_Swish._

"FIRE!"

_CRACK._

The bugler began to play "Taps" slowly, and the honor guard folded the American flag draped on Yancy's coffin.

Mako looked at Yancy's coffin. _Goodbye, Yancy. I wish I could have met you._ A tear crept down her face.

Jazmine wiped away a tear of her own. _Goodbye, Yance. I wish I could have said goodbye._

Raleigh stood at attention, tears crawling down his face. _Goodbye, brother. It's been hard to let go of you. But it's time. Time to let go; to move on._

The bugler ended "Taps," and Herc accepted the flag from the honor guard. With a precision befitting his prior military service, he walked over to Jazmine, and handed her the folded flag.

"I know you probably already know this, but I wanted to make sure you knew. Your brother died in the line of duty defending a city of two million people from a Kaiju. I'm sorry it took so long to have his remains located and properly interred. But now we have. It's the least we could do for one of our heroes."

Jazmine accepted the flag, weeping. "Thank you."

Herc strode back to his spot. Facing the casket, he put his NCO voice on.

"ATTEN-HUT!"

Raleigh and Mako snapped to attention, as did every current or retired military person on scene.

Herc slowly saluted the coffin. Even Jazmine joined in, placing her hand over her heart.

The coffin slid downward just as the sun dipped beneath the Pacific Ocean.

Raleigh silently wept. This time, it was tears of relief. _He's finally at peace._

_Goodbye, Yancy. I'll miss you._

-.-.-.-.-

**Author's note: **Okay, I'll admit it: I cried as I wrote that last section. Playing taps in the background probably didn't help the matter, but it put me in the mindset for the ceremony. And for me, getting that right was one of the most important parts of the whole story up to this point.

Taps: watch?v=WChTqYlDjtI


	19. Chapter 19

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 19**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Crew Quarters, Corridor 47B_

_May 25, 2025_

_2300_

Mako put her clothes away in her room. _That was a crazy trip. Alaska, Hawaii, and then home._ Mako looked around. _If I can call this home anymore._

Raleigh knocked on her door. "Mako… yours or mine?"

"Uhhh… yours."

"Okay."

Ever since their trip to Japan, Mako and Raleigh had shared a bed. _I didn't think the proximity would drive away the nightmares. But I'm happy it does._ She pulled on a light tank top and a pair of gym shorts (her only pair of shorts, actually) and padded across the hallway to Raleigh's room. Raleigh opened the door right as she arrived.

As they settled onto the much smaller bed, they simply enjoyed the physical contact. No words were spoken; they didn't need to. Finally, Raleigh turned off the lights. Their breathing synchronized, and their hearts began to beat as one.

They slept.

-.-.-

_May 26, 2025_

_0700_

Mako slowly woke up. Raleigh was still sleeping, his arms around her slender frame. _I'm in no hurry. We've got nothing going on-_

Raleigh stirred. "Morning, Mako."

"Good morning, Raleigh. Did I wake you?"

"No." He removed his arms from her, and traced his fingers across the circuitry suit burns on her shoulder. "Healed nicely. Faster than mine did, anyways."

Mako shivered slightly at the odd feeling of Raleigh's fingers tracing her scars.

"Sorry, didn't know that they were so sensitive to touch."

"It's not that; you're the only person other than the doctor to touch them like that."

Raleigh nodded. "So, how close are we to finishing the _katana_?"

"Very close. A few more hours of work."

"Well, then. What are we waiting for?"

-.-.-

_Gipsy Danger repair bay_

_1100_

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Mako put the steel back into the furnace. "Okay, last round. Then we need to let it cool so I can apply the insulation layer for the final phase."

Raleigh wiped his brow. "But the blade is straight. Isn't a _katana_ curved?"

Mako grinned. "The last phase is what gives the blade that curve. You'll see."

Raleigh shrugged. "Okay."

Mako removed the glowing blade from the furnace and set it on the anvil.

Raleigh began to hammer the metal for the last time.

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

_Ting._

Mako watched the steel slowly achieve the desired shape. Finally, it was ready. _Perfect._

Raleigh stopped hammering. "It's beautiful already."

"It'll be much better once it's tempered and polished."

"Are you going to polish it?"

"No. I'm a swordsmith. Others polish it and make the _saya_."

Raleigh quirked an eyebrow at the last word.

Mako sighed. "You would likely call it a scabbard. It's the sheath for the blade when it's not in use."

"Okay. Learn something new every day."

"So, lunch?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you'd like to dance before we eat."

"I'd love to." Mako put down the tools and set the still-hot blade in a safe location. "Outside or inside?"

"Outside. Weather's nice and there's a slight breeze."

"Wonderful. Let's go!"

The two Rangers set off for the Kwoon mats.

-.-.-

_LOCCENT_

_1125_

Herc's phone rang. "Hansen."

Tendo's excited voice came through. "Sir, Mako and Raleigh are preparing to spar outside on the mats."

Herc smiled and grabbed his video camera. "This should be good. I'm on my way." He hung up the phone and jogged towards the elevator.

-.-.-

_Outdoor Kwoon mats_

_1130_

Mako and Raleigh picked up their _hanbo_s and bowed to each other. Then, they took ready stances.

Mako delivered a formal first strike to begin the match. As she expected, Raleigh easily deflected it and wound up with a powerful overhead strike. She angled her _hanbo_ ever so slightly to redirect the incoming strike to her right.

Through the Ghost Drift, Raleigh sensed Mako's defensive move, and instinctively adjusted his strike to provide more energy for a follow-up hit instead. His _hanbo_ scraped along Mako's and swung down towards the ground. He pulled it through an arc that was parallel to his left side, coming back towards Mako.

Mako knew from a combination of experience and the Ghost Drift what Raleigh was planning. She stayed in a defensive posture and prepared to redirect Raleigh's much more powerful blow while leaving her in a position to deliver a strike of her own.

And so the "dance" began. Mako and Raleigh sparred as often as many other couples danced. However, it was far more demanding and intimate than even the most challenging dance styles. With the sparring, they had to know their opponent's moves well enough to anticipate the next strike and parry it, while also thinking about how to land a blow of their own. With the Ghost Drift thrown in, Mako and Raleigh were only able to land a strike if the other made a grave error. As such, instead of the usual "four strikes marks a win" rule, Mako and Raleigh used an "Any strike marks a win" rule.

Today was no exception, and the two Rangers danced all over the mat as they traded blows in a flurry of movement that even the Kwoon Fightmasters could barely keep track of. It was awe inspiring, and it drew a crowd. This time, Herc was there, and he had brought a camera with him to record the match.

Mako and Raleigh tuned out everything but the mat and each other. After a minute, Raleigh slipped up, and Mako gave him no mercy. She used her speed and agility to dart inside of Raleigh's strike zone and began to deliver a furious series of blows, driving Raleigh backwards… until she slipped ever so slightly on a sweaty spot on the mat. Now Raleigh began to push the offensive again, and Mako expertly deflected his blows.

The match continued like that for almost seven minutes, before Mako and Raleigh somehow wound up with their _hanbo_s locked together… on the opposite side of their opponent's staff. They looked each other in the eyes for a moment, their hearts pounding as one, their breathing perfectly coordinated.

Then, they kissed.

-.-.-

Herc laughed long and loud as the crowds cheered, and Mako and Raleigh snapped back to reality, clearly embarrassed. He stopped the recording, and walked out to them. "In all my time in the military and the PPDC… I've never seen a sparring match like that." He smiled at them. "THAT is what two paired Rangers should fight like. Unable to touch the other for minutes at a time, despite being hell-bent on landing a blow." He then took Mako's _hanbo_. "And from the looks of all these dents in the wood, you're not holding back any power either. If you landed a solid hit, you could injure the other. But you never touch the other, because _you can't_. They stop the strike, or dodge it." He handed back the _hanbo_. "You two move with a grace and speed that Chuck and I could never match. I'm impressed." He walked off the mat. "Thank you for the fantastic show, by the way."

Mako blushed. "Thank you sir."

Herc grinned and walked off towards LOCCENT, and the crowds dispersed.

Raleigh put the _hanbo_s aside, as both were thoroughly beaten from the intense match. He then turned to look at Mako, who was staring out over the harbor. _Perfect_. He snuck up behind her and scooped her off her feet and into his arms.

Mako, caught off-guard, yelped in surprise. However, she let Raleigh hold her for a bit. _The physical contact feels really good. I don't know why. It's not just the love, though. Sometimes I'll wake up wrapped in my sheets despite it being warm. It just feels good that way._

Raleigh began to walk back into the Shatterdome with Mako still in his arms. "You and I both need a shower before we go into the mess hall."

Mako nodded.

Raleigh had planned on carrying Mako back to their rooms as a joke, but she seemed to be enjoying it a lot. _Need to remember to do this more often._

Too soon, they reached their rooms, and Raleigh set Mako down. "Meet you in the mess hall at noon?"

"Deal."

Mako grabbed a clean change of clothes, and headed off to the women's showers. Raleigh, however, hesitated until Mako was gone before pulling out his cell phone and calling Herc.

"Sir, I have a favor to ask… Can you call Mako off for about two hours later this afternoon? I need her workshop to myself for a secret project. … Yeah, it's going to be a gift to her. … Yep. Just don't tell her. That's why we haven't Drifted lately: I want to keep it a surprise. … You can? Great. I owe you big time, sir. Thanks." Raleigh ended the call and put the phone away, then grabbed some clean clothes and headed to the showers.

-.-.-

_Gipsy Danger repair bay_

_1300_

Mako sat cross-legged on the floor as she worked, the tip of her tongue sticking out of the right corner of her mouth. Raleigh watched her, entranced. _I love it when she is deeply fixated on her work like that. She looks so cute and harmless._

Mako carefully applied the clay/ash mixture to the blade with a sliver of wood. The slurry varied in thickness from the front of the blade to the back, and from tip to hilt. Finally, it was ready to dry this first layer. She put it into the oven she'd made just for this task, and left it for a few minutes. She moved over and sat in Raleigh's lap, facing him.

"Okay, Mako, what sort of magic is this mud going to do with the blade?"

"It's a complicated process, but the two different types of steel will contract differently as they cool. This is helped by the varying thickness of the clay causing it to cool at different rates. This difference in contraction is what causes the _katana_ to take on its classic shape."

"Wow. There's a lot going on in such a seemingly simple process."

"Yes, there is. Now, I need to take the blade out to let it cool before I apply the detail layer." She got off of Raleigh's lap and carefully removed the blade and set it on a stand to cool.

Raleigh stood up and sauntered over to look at the other new piece of equipment Mako had set up. "Mako, why do you need the water trough?"

"That's where I'll put the blade to cool."

Raleigh watched as Mako took the sliver of wood and applied a wavering line of darker slurry to the blade. She finished it with a PPDC logo just above where the blade would enter the handle.

"Time to dry it once more, then it's time for the magic." She was grinning.

Raleigh watched the clay dry in the oven. "It's like pancake batter."

"But with this, it's much more important that everything be exactly the right mixture and temperature."

"Point."

"Okay, time to heat the blade."

Mako pulled it from the oven and stuck it into the furnace, and slowly turned up the throttle on the furnace until it glowed a faint red. She watched the edge of the blade intently, seeking a _very_ particular color… _There. It's time._

"Raleigh, you ready to see some magic?"

"Sure!"

Mako pulled the blade from the furnace and stood over the end of the trough. Then, in a smooth motion, she plunged the blade into the water. Steam rose as the water nearest the blade boiled, but Mako held steady. Raleigh waited patiently off to the side.

After a minute had passed, Mako slowly pulled the blade from the water… and Raleigh's jaw dropped. "That was straight less than a minute ago, and now it's curved. The cooling did that?"

"Yes. One of the beautiful elements of classical swordsmithing."

Mako took the blade over to the work bench and slowly picked away the clay, revealing the metal beneath.

Raleigh observed closely. "Not much different."

"The polishing will take care of that."

Mako's phone rang with Herc's ringtone. "Yes, sir?"

Raleigh feigned curiosity.

"On my way." She ended the call and put the phone back into her pocket. "Herc wants to see me. I'll be back soon."

Raleigh kissed Mako on the forehead. "Don't have too much fun without me!"

"No promises."

Raleigh laughed, and Mako walked out of the workspace. Once he heard the doors close, Raleigh retrieved the small bit of stainless steel he had recovered from Gipsy's left arm, and the tool he'd made before the trip to Alaska. _Now, let's make this happen. I still need to find the three other smaller, but much more expensive, elements of this, but I can get the hard part done now._ He smiled. _Mako's going to love this when it's done._

**Author's note:** I've wanted to do a sparring match for a while, and decided that I should just knuckle down and do it. So I did. It was fun trying to visualize the whole fight, then boil it down to a much more concise description.

And what is Raleigh's secret project? You'll have to wait until the very last chapter to find out. The revelation of it is my intended climax for the whole story.


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's note:** Sorry about the delay in posting a new chapter. Had a case of writer's block, and it took a while to clear it.

EDIT: Cleared up a typo.

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 20**

Mako and Raleigh were back in Gipsy Danger's Conn Pod, gearing up to drop into a fight with yet another Kaiju. This time, they were going into downtown Tokyo to fight a Category III that tipped the scales at 2700 tons.

Raleigh toggled the radio. "Disengaging transport."

Mako flipped the switch, and the eight Jumphawks surged thousands of feet in altitude in mere seconds as the 1980 tons of Jaeger were cut loose. Gipsy slammed to the ground not far from the rampaging Kaiju. Mako hit the rescue horn, grabbing the Kaiju's attention. It roared at them, and Mako answered with another blast from the horn.

The Kaiju charged them, and drove its bladed skull through Gipsy's left shoulder. Mako screamed in agony as electrical discharges coursed through her suit, burning her left arm and shoulder.

Raleigh groaned as the pain blasted through the Drift, and channeled the pain and anger into a single voice command. "PLASMA CANNON!"

The Kaiju twisted its head, tearing off the arm entirely. Mako nearly passed out from the pain. However, she clung to the Drift with everything she had, keeping her awake. She followed Raleigh's moves as he began to fire the plasma cannon…

Suddenly, the Kaiju lashed out with its arm and a claw pierced the Conn Pod on Raleigh's side. Raleigh and Mako stared at it for a moment in fear. _No, not again…_

Raleigh looked at Mako. "Mako, I love you. Take care of…"

He never finished his sentence, as the Kaiju tore away the Conn Pod hull, dragging him with it.

Mako screamed.

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Raleigh's quarters, Corridor 47B_

_May 27, 2025_

_0159_

Raleigh awoke to a blood chilling scream from Mako. He was instantly awake, seeking the source her terror. "Mako! What's wrong?"

Mako stopped screaming as she realized she was not in a badly battle-damaged Jaeger. Instead, she was in Raleigh's room. She curled into a ball and began to cry.

Raleigh's mind finally put everything together. _Nightmare. One of mine, but she was the one having it. _"Mako, it was just a dream." He pulled her into his lap and hugged her.

"You saw it too, right?"

"Yes. I know that nightmare well. It's one of mine that you somehow picked up on. Your mind changed it slightly, though. I've never had it with you in the Conn Pod and us using Jumphawks to drop into Tokyo."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, Mako. We don't control our dreams, and we don't let our nightmares control us." He reached over to his nightstand, pulled open a drawer, and removed a battered old iPod. He booted it up and scrolled through the menu, seeking a particular song. All the while, he held Mako tightly. "Relax, Mako. It's over now."

Mako just buried her face in her knees and cried. "Raleigh… you died. Just like Yancy."

Raleigh found the song, and put one earbud into Mako's right ear, and the other into his right ear. "I know." He hit play.

The song started slowly with only a piano, slowly joined by a bass and a guitar. Then, the vocals came.

"_Come on, come on, put your hands into the fire. Explain, explain, as I turn and meet the power…"_

Mako slowly relaxed and almost melted into Raleigh's arms as the song continued.

-.-.-

Finally, the music slowly wound down, and Mako smiled sadly.

Raleigh removed the earbuds and turned off the iPod. "I found that song after I lost Yancy. It's been a part of me ever since." He put the iPod away. "Does that help?"

"Yes. Thank you." Mako yawned and pulled the blanket over the two Rangers. She fell asleep moments later, still curled up in Raleigh's lap.

Raleigh waited a few minutes until he was sure Mako was asleep, then slowly shifted until he could lay down. However, sleep proved elusive as his mind raced. He gently toyed with Mako's hair, suddenly missing the blue highlights. _Why did our first shared dream have to be that particular nightmare?_

Finally, after several minutes of musing, Raleigh drifted off into a fitful, light sleep.

-.-.-

_0800_

Mako slowly woke, uncurling and stretching like a cat. Raleigh was already awake.

"Glad to see you slept better this time around." Raleigh yawned.

"You didn't?"

"No. I was restless all night, and kept waking up."

Mako's eyes fell.

"Mako, it wasn't your fault I couldn't sleep. It was mine. I kept thinking about the dream."

Mako looked at Raleigh. "What about it?"

"I'm sure you've heard of other Rangers sharing their dreams before."

"Yes."

"It's just odd. That was my nightmare for years, but with me in your spot and Yancy in mine. I haven't had it since our first Drift, though."

Mako's face fell. "It's been a recurring one for me since Hong Kong."

"Mako… why didn't you tell me?"

"I…" She sat up, pulling the blanket around her. _How to explain this?_

"Mako, it's okay. I want to help." Raleigh laid his arm around Mako's shoulder and pulled her in closer.

"It's… hard to explain."

"Try me."

Mako sighed and gathered her thoughts. "I can't," she finally blurted out.

Raleigh hugged her tightly. "Mako, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Have you ever gotten further than that, though?"

"No."

"And it's always the same?"

"Yes, it is. Why?"

Raleigh thought for a moment. "Let's go see if Tendo has any spare Drive Suits left for the simulator."

Mako looked at Raleigh, surprise and confusion written on her face. "What good will that do?"

"If we can change the outcome of the nightmare, then perhaps it will go away."

"Do you think that will help?"

"It's worth a shot. Besides, I miss the Jaegers. This seems to be the closest we're going to get for the foreseeable future."

Mako hopped out of the bed and stretched some more. "True."

Raleigh pulled his cell phone off its charger and dialed Tendo. "Tendo, my man. I have a favor to ask…"

-.-.-

_Gipsy Danger drive suit room_

_1000_

Tendo had pulled through for the two Rangers, drawing up the scenario that Mako and Raleigh had described in record time. Now, it was time to suit up, possibly for the last time. Mako and Raleigh stood beside each other as the techs attached the armor panels to them, just like they did before Operation Pitfall. Slowly, the suits came together, wrapping the pilots in the now-familiar layers of armor and circuitry.

Finally, they slid their helmets on in perfect synch. Raleigh looked at Mako. "You look good."

"You should look in the mirror, Raleigh."

They walked down the hall to the simulator and strapped in. As the techs bolted them to the motion capture rig, Tendo's voice filtered through their com systems. "Looking sharp, you two."

Raleigh reached up and to his left to toggle the coms. "Tendo, my man. Thanks for this."

Mako reached up and right to toggle her side. "Thank you, Tendo."

"No problem-o, Gipsy. Ready to start?"

"Yes."

"Gipsy Danger, ready for the Big Drop."

Tendo laughed. "Just like old times. Okay, get ready. Neural handshake in ten seconds."

Mako looked at Raleigh. "England. Slow dance."

Raleigh simply nodded.

Mako and Raleigh both relaxed and let the Drift wash over them…

-.-.-

_Driftspace_

**Mako and Raleigh were dancing, actually dancing, in a ballroom in London. They had come to give an interview on BBC, and had stayed for a party being held in their honor. So they had decided to try a slow dance at the party. They moved perfectly together, thanks to the Ghost Drift, and they tuned out all but each other…**

-.-.-

Reality reasserted itself, and the Rangers smiled. They looked at each other and nodded. _Solid._

Raleigh reached up and toggled the coms. "Ready when you are, Tendo."

Tendo was silent for a moment, trying to understand what had just happened. "You guys do realize that your handshake took less than a second to initiate and stabilize, right? That beats Cherno Alpha's record by nearly half a second!"

Mako toggled her coms. "Yes, Tendo. Now, the simulation?"

"Right. Going in in three, two, one…"

-.-.-

_Tokyo_

Gispy Danger hung under the Jumphawks as they flew over Tokyo, closing in on the Kaiju rampaging through the city. Below them, Onibaba's skeleton rose above the Boneslums. Ahead of them, a 2700 ton Kaiju smashed through a building.

Raleigh and Mako, now totally comfortable with each other in the Drift, never spoke aloud as they planned their attack.

Mako judged the distance to the Kaiju, the ground, and their speed, and came to a conclusion. _We need to keep flying, and cut loose on the go. Gipsy can take it._

_Okay. You call it._

"Gispy Danger, disengaging transport… NOW!"

Raleigh toggled the release mechanism, and the Jumphawks hurtled skyward. Mako kept Gipsy steady as they fell to the ground with an earth-shaking impact, bending the Jaeger's legs to absorb the impact. Mako toggled the rescue horn, grabbing the attention of the Kaiju.

As they had expected, the Kaiju took the horn as a challenge and roared at them. Mako toggled the horn again in reply. The Kaiju charged at Gipsy.

Mako and Raleigh smoothly dodged the Kaiju as it tried to impale them with its bladed head.

_See, Mako? Already different from the dream._

Mako smiled. _Yes, but it's not over yet._ "PLASMA CANNON!"

Gipsy's left hand transformed into the barrel of the plasma cannon, glowing with furious energy.

Raleigh let Mako take the lead, and followed along as she pumped two shots into the Kaiju in quick succession. The Kaiju, however, was having none of it, and barreled through a building to escape the Jaeger. Gipsy ran after the Kaiju, left cannon still armed and ready.

Mako swore in in Japanese as the Kaiju nimbly darted out of the line of fire once again, and they continued the chase. _He's fast and smart. Scary combination._

_Yeah. Let's hope he pulls an Otachi and comes to us._

Raleigh had just finished that thought when the Kaiju burst from a building to Gipsy's right, and attempted to land a blow to the Conn Pod. Mako, however, had already rolled the Jaeger's shoulder to take the blow, which glanced off the shoulder guard and down their back.

_I'll hold him!_

_Okay._

Raleigh grabbed the bladed skull of the Kaiju as Gipsy spun to face their attacker, and Mako angled the plasma cannon towards the Kaiju's neck. Then, she fired. Repeatedly.

The Kaiju screamed after the first shot, but the plasma burned away its vocal chords on the second shot, leaving it mute. The third shot burned halfway through the spine, and the fourth shot decapitated the Kaiju outright. Raleigh heaved the head down the street, and Mako emptied the plasma reservoirs into the carcass. Finally, it ran dry and ceased firing.

Mako smiled as she stowed the plasma cannon. "No pulse."

Raleigh laughed. "LOCCENT, Kaiju intercepted and terminated. End simulation."

Mako and Raleigh smiled as Tokyo disappeared.

_Feel better, Mako?_

_Much. Thank you, Raleigh._

The Drift dissolved, and the Rangers unstrapped from their harnesses. Behind them, the door hissed open, and they made their way out, holding hands.

-.-.-

_LOCCENT_

_1100_

"Tendo, this had better be good. I was about to have an important meeting…"

"Sir, Mako and Raleigh wanted to do a simulator run to help Mako get over a recurring nightmare. They just left the suit room and are headed to the mess hall."

"Did it work?"

"Yes. Mako says it should clear up the nightmare."

"Then why did you call me in?"

Tendo replied by playing back the initialization of the neural handshake.

Herc watched the readings and the cameras in the simulator… then gasped as he saw the speed and strength of the Drift. "My God… I've never seen anything like that before."

"Sir, that is the strongest Drift and the fastest handshake on record."

"Even more so than Cherno." Herc didn't even bother with a rhetorical question. This was a statement of fact. "Sad as it sounds, I'm wishing for a Kaiju and a Jaeger now, just to see them in action for real again."

Suddenly, a deep, raspy voice boomed from the back of the room. "I might be able to arrange for the Jaeger…"


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's note: **Sorry about the delay, but I've been busy in meatspace lately. My schedule at work just got shuffled around, and I'm starting some college classes on Monday, so I'm not going to be posting quite as often for the next few weeks until I get settled in. Don't worry, though: I'm still going to be working on this, just at a slower pace.

-.-.-

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 21**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_LOCCENT_

_May 27, 2025_

_1105_

Tendo whipped around, seeking the unfamiliar voice. Herc, however, slowly turned around, arms crossed over his chest. He leaned against a desk in LOCCENT as he looked at the new arrival. "Hannibal Chau… Took you long enough to find me here."

Chau shrugged. "Had to stop to ask for directions a number of times. I knew Shatterdomes were big, but this really puts it into perspective."

"Sorry, but Mr. Choi called me up here to review a recording from a simulator run. It's impressive, to say the least."

"I've always wanted to see what the Jaeger pilots went through. Can I watch?"

Herc thought for a moment, then came to a decision. "Yeah, but keep in mind that the neural handshake at the start is _far_ from typical. It's actually the fastest and strongest one we've ever seen."

Tendo started the playback, bringing the LOCCENT to life as if it were actually in use again. "This simulation was run less than three hours ago with the crew of Gipsy Danger. The simulation was set up to mimic a persistent nightmare from one of the crew, so that they could try to rewrite the nightmare into a happier ending."

Hannibal Chau watched as Gipsy dropped into Tokyo and began to take on the simulated Kaiju. "What happened in the nightmare?"

Herc paused the playback right as the Kaiju charged at Gipsy. "Right here is where the events diverged. In the nightmare, Ms. Mori's side of the Jaeger is badly damages when the Kaiju drives the bladed protrusion through the left shoulder. The damage leaves the Rangers badly dazed and unable to defend themselves properly. Mr. Beckett tried to deploy the right-hand plasma cannon, but was unable to before the Kaiju breached the hull of the Conn Pod and tore him away, leaving Gipsy crippled and unable to fight. That's as far as the nightmare went. So, they did it differently this time."

Chau watched as Herc unpaused the playback and Gipsy began to engage the Kaiju… then watched the Kaiju dart off into the city after being hit with the plasma cannon. "Huh… rather similar to Otachi in intelligence and speed, Knifehead in stature, and Onibaba in behavior before Gipsy arrived."

Gipsy had just grabbed the Kaiju's head and was preparing to fire again when Newt burst into LOCCENT. "GUYS! I don't care what you're doing, but drop it now, we've got bigger problems!"

Herc groaned. "Newt, what are you talking about?"

"Th-th-the Breach…. It's not going to stay closed."

Herc paused the playback as Hannibal Chau turned around slowly and Tendo dropped his favorite coffee mug to the ground. "What did you say," Herc growled darkly.

"The Breach will reopen. More Kaiju will come."

Chau glared at Newt. "And you know this how?"

"The Ghost Drift. I… I was at some sort of meeting in the Anteverse. They were discussing the outcome of the war. It was fascinating, really, getting to see their culture…"

Herc held up his hands. "Hold up, mate. Details. Lots of them. NOW."

Newt paused and swallowed. "Okay. We all know Jaegers are incredibly expensive, right? Well, we never really asked ourselves what the Kaiju cost to make. Not money, but resources. I finally have an answer."

"And?"

"The answer is complicated, but I'll try to condense it as best I can. The Kaiju were classed by the Precursors, their makers and masters, on a generational system. Generation 1 Kaiju were the first ones to come out. They weren't intended to face any serious resistance. The last Gen 1 Kaiju was Karloff, in Vancouver. Gen 2 Kaiju were the trial-and-error phase, trying to find out what would work against the Jaegers. They were replaced by Gen 3 Kaiju, which were designed to refine the techniques and systems that would be needed later. The first Gen 3? Knifehead. Gen 4 Kaiju were the final, refined versions. Otachi, Leatherback, Scunner, and Raiju were the only ones to come through."

Chau's curiosity was piqued. "What about Slattern?"

"Exterminator-class. Not tied to a generational mark."

Herc, though curious himself, wanted to get back on track. "Right, you said something about costs?"

"Oh, yeah, right. The figure I overheard was that each fourth-gen Kaiju took enough resources to feed one of their Hives, which are supercities that house about a billion Precursors, for a month." He paused to let that sink in. "That's more than the cost of Striker Eureka, if you translate it into human terms."

"And Slattern?"

"Five Hives, more than three months."

Silence hung in the LOCCENT for a few moments.

Herc finally spoke his mind. "So, what you're telling me is that bout sides of the Breach are suffering from an economic downturn from the war?"

"We're actually in better shape. We haven't invested as much into this as they have."

Chau has been thinking about something, and finally spoke up again. "So, why are they coming back here?"

"They don't have a choice. They've invested too much time, effort and resources to try to find a world to terraform. It's here, or nothing."

"And the Kaiju?"

"Smaller and cheaper, but smarter and better equipped. And in larger numbers."

Herc looked out over Scramble Alley. "And the Breach?"

"It'll take them a while to clean up the mess Gipsy left. Apparently, the Precursors aren't resistant to radiation poisoning."

"But the Kaiju are?"

"No, they aren't any better than the Precursors. Remember, each time we've nuked them, they've gone down. It probably didn't take three to take out Trespasser; that's just what was on the Minuteman III missile that was used to perform the final strike, and they wanted to be sure it went down and stayed down."

Herc continued to stare out over the empty Jaeger bays. "So, how long do you think it will be until they reopen the Breach?"

"Two, maybe three years? They have to regrow everything and test it. No guarantees it'll be in the same spot, though. Ask Hermann about it."

"I will. In the meantime, write all this down. I want all of this on record."

Newt raced back to his lab to write the report. Tendo looked at Herc. "Sir, what do we do now? Are we still going to disband at the start of September?"

"The U.N. gave me no choice. We're a Private Military Contractor now, and we bought a nuke on the black market from Russia. It was either stand down, or be arrested. All of us, from you and I to the janitors. I couldn't let that happen." He looked at Chau. "Which is why I wanted to meet with you."

"I'm all ears, Marshall."

"Before Newt's bombshell, I had been planning to ask if you wanted to have a highly-trained PMC. Now? I'd be a fool to let the PPDC be broken up."

"Will you tell the U.N.?"

Herc's gaze darkened. "They cut and ran at our darkest hour," he growled. "I will NEVER forgive them for that. Pentecost might have, but I won't. As my son would have said, 'Screw'em.' We closed the Breach on our own. We can do it again." Herc's gaze suddenly became more distant. "We WILL do it again." He turned to Hannibal Chau. "However, we'll need some serious financial backing."

"Which I can't provide up front… yet. That said… If you were to bring some of the more complex Jaeger tech to market for military and humanitarian work, we'd have much more funding." Chau looked out over the hangar at Gipsy's arm being brought in on a Jaeger Launch Platform. "Something much smaller than that. Something smaller and lighter than a tank, actually."

Tendo perked up. "Like Iron Monger from the 2008 "Iron Man" movie?"

"Exactly. Now that there's a lull in the Kaiju war, I highly expect that old rivalries will rise up again. And the U.S. military has always wanted exosuits. Why not make some for them?"

Herc smiled. "And if you remove the armor and weapons, you've got an agile, fast, and strong construction or rescue mech. I like it. I'll turn Mako loose on it after she and Raleigh get back from California."

Tendo turned to Herc. "I thought you were going too?"

"Something personal came up in Australia. I need to go take care of it sooner, rather than later. I'll go from there to the U.S. after it's dealt with."

Chau turned around and walked over to Tendo's station. "Where in California?"

"Sacramento will be our temporary home, but we're actually going to be working in Oblivion Bay. We're retrieving Brawler Yukon and Crimson Typhoon for sure. Beyond that, it's going to require a hand-on look at them to determine which Mark II and III Jaeger are brought here for display."

"Sacramento's become a vital hub on the West Coast. It's somewhat replaced San Francisco, Oakland, and the Silicon Valley, all at the same time. I had it on my short list of places to look at before picking a place to set up shop. So, where would you want to put a revamped HQ?"

"Depends on where you set up shop."

"Hmm. Mind if I tag along?"

Herc grinned and handed Hannibal a PPDC I.D. card. "Welcome to the Senior Staff. We're leaving on Friday. Hong Kong to Seattle, then to Sacramento. We'll be there for a month or more."

"Sounds good."

Tendo leaned back in his chair. "So, any idea what you're going to call your business?"

Chau thought for a moment. "Now that it seems that we're joining forces and staff, how about… Pan Pacific Industries?"

Herc smiled. "Perfect. Let's go talk this out in more detail over lunch."

Hannibal gestured towards the door. "I know this place downtown that survived the battle in January that does a fantastic steak."

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

The two men left the LOCCENT, already talking over the proposed new business.

Tendo, however, was deep in thought. _What kind of personal matter does Herc have to deal with? His brother died in a drunk driving accident two years ago. Chuck's tombstone is in Hawaii. His wife's birthday is in October, their anniversary is in February, and she died in September. He's got no surviving family… What could it be? Whatever the reason, he's earned a vacation._

-.-.-

_Corridor 5C, just outside Kwoon combat training room 7_

_1300_

Herc and Chau were walking along, discussing the details of the museum, when the sound of Mako's laugh drifted out of the Kwoon. Herc gestured for silence and pulled out a camera, then slipped his head around the doorframe. He then gestured Chau into the room.

Mako and Raleigh bowed formally just as the two older men entered, the proceeded to circle the mats for a few moments. Then, in a blur of motion that left Chau astounded, Mako lunged at Raleigh, raining down blows. Raleigh nimbly parried each and every strike before beginning his own flurry of attacks, driving Mako backwards. They danced around the mat for several minutes, wrapped in their own little world of each other and their _hanbo_ staves. Finally, Mako darted inside of Raleigh's striking range, and Raleigh simply pulled her into him with his _hanbo_. They stood there for a moment, chest to chest, looking at each other and ignoring everything else.

At that moment, however, Herc sneezed, causing both Rangers to jump in surprise.

Hannibal Chau began to clap. "Ah, to be young again."

Raleigh and Mako looked at each other, thoughts flowing through their freshly-renewed Ghost Drift at incredible speed. Raleigh spoke for them. "Sir, who's the VIP?"

Herc put the camera away. "Rangers, meet Hannibal Chau. He provided financial backing for us after the U.N. cut bait and ran. He's also going to be the CEO of Pan Pacific Industries. As you're aware, we're going to be closing down the PPDC at midnight on August 31st. Starting September 1st, there's a job waiting for both of you with PPI. I've already accepted an offer to be the head of the Security branch."

Chau stepped in. "PPI will be taking over the Jaeger Program entirely. I was hoping that you'd come on board to provide your piloting expertise… and your engineering skills. We will be building smaller mechs and exosuits, as well as next generation prosthetic limbs."

Mako and Raleigh were silent for a bit. Chau shuffled, uncomfortable.

Herc coughed gently and leaned over to Chau. "Don't mind it. They're communicating through the Ghost Drift and the Drift Hangover from this morning. It takes some getting used to, even for a Ranger like myself."

Mako finally nodded her head once. "Sounds like a plan. Where are you thinking of setting up?"

Hannibal Chau shrugged. "Not sure yet, but I'm thinking Sacramento, California. Lots of tech companies there, lots of transportation connections, relatively close to the San Francisco Exclusion Zone, which I want to help rebuild… It's also a nice city, from what I've heard."

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other and shrugged, then Mako looked at Herc. "Well, we might as well pack up our meager belongings and prepare to move to Sacramento. There's not much point in coming back for just two months."

Herc smiled. "Sounds like everything's coming together. Raleigh, what'd your sister major in again?"

"Business." He paused. "Oh. I see."

Chau smiled politely. Raleigh noticed little flecks of _something_ stuck to his teeth. "Any chance you could get me in contact with her before we depart on Friday?"

"We, sir?"

Herc sighed. "I need to go down to Australia for a week on a personal task that just came up, so Chau's going to take my seat. He's part of what I'm calling the Senior Staff: Me, Chau, Tendo, Gottlieb and Geizler… and you two. If we're going to get PPI off the ground in a hurry, having someone on the ground already will help immensely."

Mako and Raleigh nodded their understanding in unison, clearly doing so intentionally. Chau laughed. "You two are a hoot to watch. I wish I could have that level of a connection to someone again."

"Chau, shall we? There's still a lot talk about and visit…"

"Catch you two later. Oh, and thanks for what you did in Hong Kong. I never did like that stadium."

Herc and Chau walked out as Mako and Raleigh put their shoes on to head back to their quarters to begin packing for their upcoming trip to the U.S.

-.-.-

**Author's note 2:** Herc's little holiday was originally going to be doctor mandated from exhaustion, but I decided to have him take it of his own free will. He's going to need some rest if he's going to be rebuilding the Jaeger Program. ;) However, expect a side story to detail not only the vacation, but the reason for it as well. Let's just say that Chuck's line of "I want to come back from this mission, because I quite like… my life" is going to be explored in more detail. Stay tuned!


	22. Chapter 22

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 22**

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_LOCCENT_

_May 28, 2025_

_0937_

Mako walked up to Herc's impromptu office and knocked on the doorframe.

Herc looked up from the paperwork he'd been filling out. "Mako, what can I do for you?"

"Sir, is there any way I can swing by Tanegashima before we head to the U.S.? I need to drop off the _katana_ blade at an old family friend for final polishing and for fitting of the handle and housing."

"Do you have to go, or can we have someone deliver it?"

"It'd be better if I go. That way, I can ensure that they understand what I'm looking for in the finished product."

"I'll see what we can do."

Mako bowed slightly, then started to walk out of the office.

"Mako, one other thing… There's been some interest in keeping your workspace set up and actually making it a museum exhibit."

Mako paused. "Why?"

"All of the Jaegers will be given a bay here in which we will display memorabilia and artifacts associated with them. Included in that is displays about their pilots." Herc paused. "Raleigh's welding gear from the Wall, his and Yancy's flight suits, your and Raleigh's Drive Suits…"

"Yes. I'll also give you the clothes I wore when Onibaba attacked. If I want to see them again, I can always come visit."

"You sure? That's a big step for you. Pentecost told me about the importance of that little red shoe."

"Sir… I have finally gotten closure for my parents. I'm fine."

"Okay. Just checking."

"And yes, you can add the workspace to the exhibit. But I need to get some things from it first."

"Outstanding. Next time you see Raleigh, can you ask him to come talk to me? I want to see if there's anything he wants to be a part of his exhibit."

"I will, sir."

"Thanks, Mako."

-.-.-

Mako walked out of the LOCCENT, mind elsewhere. _I know that our Ghost Drift has been getting stronger each time we Drift… Let's see what I can do this time._

Mako focused on a single message. _Raleigh, Herc wants to talk with you._

A moment later, surprise radiated through the two Ranger's shared bond. After a brief pause, Raleigh replied. _Mako, how'd you know that'd work?_

_I didn't._

_Wow. Okay, let me finish what I'm working on…_

_Which is?_

_You made a _katana _for Pentecost. I'm planning on making a smaller blade from some of the wreckage of Gipsy as a memorial to Yancy._

_Can I help?_

_Please do. I'm not as skilled as you!_

Mako laughed and began to head to the hangar. _On my way. What have you completed so far?_

Raleigh's pride radiated through the Ghost Drift. _I've decided that I'm not going to fold the steels, since they're already pretty uniform, so I've been working the two blanks into smaller versions of what we had before we welded the pieces together before._

_That's a good start. I'm almost there._

Mako walked around the corner of the bay and into the workshop. She put her hands on her hips and turned around, taking it in.

"Mako, something wrong?"

"Trying to decide what I don't want to be on permanent display…"

Raleigh reached over to a particular drawer and pulled it open. Hiding at the back was the same item he had been looking at as he had started his secret project. He grabbed Mako's Jaeger Academy graduation ring and handed it to her. "Don't want to lose that right now, do you?"

Mako eyed him suspiciously. "How'd you know that was there?" She slipped the ring on. "And where's yours?"

Raleigh looked down at his feet. "Somewhere along the Pacific coast of Alaska. I… kinda threw it to the ocean after Yancy died and I left the PPDC. I didn't want to have any reminders."

Mako walked over and slapped Raleigh in the back of his head. "Idiot." She grinned. "I guess we'll have to have a new one made for you. And you didn't answer my question about how you knew that's where I kept it…"

"I was browsing through the drawers looking for some supplies for my still-secret project and saw it. I also saw it in our last Drift."

"Speaking of that project, how's it coming?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

"Raleigh Becket, I will find out what that project is one way or another."

"Of course you will. When it's done, you'll find out what it is." He gave her an evil grin. "Until then, you'll get nothing from me."

Mako picked up Raleigh's current, non-secret project. "What size are you aiming for?"

Raleigh, relieved at Mako's redirected focus, turned to the smaller block of metal she held. "My research showed that many _katana_s were often paired with a smaller blade, typically a _wakizashi_. I'm making that smaller blade to be paired with _sensei_'s _katana_. If… that's okay with you?"

Mako smiled, fighting back tears. "Yes, it's wonderful."

Raleigh put the steel into the furnace to heat up. "Well, we've got a lot of work, and not a lot of time to do it in. Shall we?"

-.-.-

_Tanegashima_

_May 29, 2025_

_1430_

Mako and Raleigh were exhausted. They hadn't been able to get the _wakizashi_ far enough along to be polished. Thankfully, Mako had found someone to finish it for them in her old hometown. They had just delivered it and were now meeting with an old family friend of her father. He was a master sword polisher, and Mako didn't trust anyone else to finish _sensei_'s _katana_.

He walked out of his work room and froze. "Mako! Watashi wa anata ga saigo mite irai, sore ga nagaiai sa rete iru! Ogenkidesuka?" _Mako! It's been so long since I saw you last! How are you?_

Mako smiled broadly and hugged the old man. "Tsukareta. Sore wa koko ni Honkon kara nagai furaitodeshita." _Tired. It was a long flight from Hong Kong to here._

The old man looked at Raleigh and switched to flawless English. "You must be Raleigh Becket. Welcome to Tanegashima. I'm Jurou Himura. I knew Mako back when she was a little girl watching her father forge swords."

Raleigh bowed his head respectfully, then replied. "Watashitachi, sensei o motte itadaki arigatōgozaimasu. Watashitachi wa nani mo chūdan sa rete imasen negatte imasu." _Thank you for having us, sir. I hope we aren't interrupting anything._

Jurou smiled and looked at Mako. "He is fairly good. A little bit of error in intonation, but close enough for everyday use."

Raleigh and Mako laughed.

"Now, I know you did not come all this way to pay a social visit. What brings you here on such a short visit?"

Mako produced the _katana _blade, wrapped in cloth. "I'm making it in honor of Marshall Pentecost."

Jurou smiled sadly. "Ah, your adoptive father. I am deeply sorry for your loss, Mako."

Raleigh sensed Mako's repressed frustration. _Mako, it's going to be a while before everyone stops doing that. Trust me._

Mako gave no outward response, but she did calm down. "I wasn't able to acquire _tamahagane_ for the sword, so I improvised with materials from the Shatterdome. A piece of each of _sensei_'s Jaegers was used to make the blade"

Jurou gently took the blade and inspected it. "Hmm… Not the usual number of folds. Three, maybe four, correct?"

"Four. I didn't actually need to fold the steel, but I did so a few times just for tradition."

"That is fine. It makes it unique, and personal." He looked at the _hamon_. "The blade is beautiful. Your father would have been so proud. Not just because of your skill with the forge, but also with the sword… even if it's the height of our water tower." Jurou chuckled.

Mako blushed. "Thank you."

"I've seen may swords in my seventy years… but none can compare to your Chain Swords. Elegant, deadly, precise… Just like a _katana_." He wrapped the blade in the cloth again and set it aside. "Just like you."

"Thank you, Jurou."

"Now, about the price…"

"I'm aware I'm offering more than is normal…"

"Mako. I won't take your money."

She stopped. "Why?"

"I will do this for free, on one condition."

"Anything."

"I want you to do one more _katana_, as traditionally as you can. Sixteen folds. I know I can't get you any true _tamahagane_, but I've been in touch with some master metallurgists in the United States who can get you a very close match. I'll have them give you some of their best materials."

Mako thought it over.

"Just one, Mako. I want to polish one last traditional Mori sword before I die."

Mako nodded once, a tear creeping down her cheek. "I will. I'll let you know where I settle."

"Thank you." Jurou picked up the sword again. "If this is any indicator of your skill, you have the makings of being the greatest sword smith in the history of the Mori name. Your father did well in his short time with you. I can only imagine what you would be able to make if…"

"If he hadn't died?" Mako smiled sadly. "Me, too."

Jurou turned to Raleigh. "Mr. Becket, May I have a moment with you in private?"

Without waiting for a response, Jurou walked out into the small Zen garden out back. Raleigh followed, and Mako politely distanced herself in the Ghost Drift.

"Sir, we're Rangers. There are no secrets between copilots."

"I know. I still wish to tell you some things away from Mako, even if only physically." Jurou looked out over the garden. "I can tell you two love each other deeply."

"We do, sir."

"Then do me a favor."

Raleigh waited.

"Marry her, you fool!" Jurou laughed.

Raleigh smiled. "It's on the to-do list once things have calmed down."

Jurou's laughs stopped. "As if they haven't now? It's been months since you two closed the Breach. What are you waiting for?"

"We're moving to the U.S., dissolving the PPDC, setting up a museum, and starting a new company… all at the same time. We're a little busy to have a wedding right now." Raleigh left out the bombshell Herc had dropped in the last-minute briefing before he headed to Australia.

"Well, don't wait too long, Mr. Becket."

"Don't worry, sir. I'll make sure Mako sends you an invitation when it does happen."

"That's fine. Now, I'm sure Mako's extremely curious as to what we were talking about. Let's put her out of her misery."

Raleigh laughed. _We're coming back in, Mako._

_Phew. I was about to come after you and make sure Jurou hadn't been beating on you._

Jurou walked in and turned to Mako. "Before you leave, anything else I can do for you?"

Mako smiled. "Actually, there's a _wakizashi_ Raleigh and I started, but don't have time to finish…"

"Did you leave it at Haneda's?"

"Yes, we did."

"Excellent. I'll make sure to have him come look at your _katana_ and make a good match."

"Also, can you arrange for a mounting and case for both blades?"

"I know someone who only does a few a year, and only for the most exquisite blades. I think he'll jump at the chance to work with your blade. He loved your father's work. Anything in particular you're looking for?"

"Not really. _Sensei_ was deeply into Zen."

"I'll pass that along."

Raleigh looked at his watch. "Mako, you ready?"

"Yes. Jurou, thank you so much."

"Thank you, Mako. Oh, before you leave, can you sign my granddaughter's shirt?" Jurou picked up a folded shirt and held it up, revealing it to be a Gipsy Danger shirt with Mako and Raleigh's faces displayed on their respective sides of the Conn Pod. "She's a huge fan of you."

Raleigh laughed and took out a Sharpie. "I'll sign it too, Jurou. But tell her to take very good care of the shirt. It's going to be worth a lot someday."

Mako sighed, and accepted the offered Sharpie. She signed it and handed the Sharpie back to Raleigh. He signed the shirt as well.

"Thank you for the hospitality, sir."

"Please, call me Jurou."

Mako smiled. "Sorry we couldn't stay longer, but we need to get going if we're going to catch the flight to Seattle."

"I understand. Just make sure to come back with that blade."

"I will, Jurou."

Mako and Raleigh left Jurou's house… right as his six-year-old granddaughter walked up the walkway.

Raleigh felt Mako panic. She'd never dealt well with the sudden rise in fame and arrival of fans that her brief stint as a Jaeger pilot had brought. He tried to send peace and patience across the Ghost Drift… But then the little girl realized who was standing just outside her grandfather's house.

"Mako Mori? Raleigh Becket?"

_Mako, I know you're gonna beat on me in the Kwoon for this…_

_DON'T YOU DARE, RALEIGH!_

_Sorry, Mako. I have to make her day._ Raleigh grinned. "Yeah, that's us."

Mako groaned and plugged her ears, knowing what came next.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"Whoa… calm down. We're actually just leaving."

"Awwwww…. Can't you stay?"

"Sadly, no. We have a big meeting to go to, and we need to leave now if we want to catch the plane out. However, we left you a present with your grandfather…"

"Why are you here, if you're not here to say hi to me? I'm Mako's biggest fan!"

Raleigh chuckled. "I'm sure you are. However, Mako knew your grandfather a long time ago, and came to him for help with something."

She turned to Mako. "You needed his help? With what?"

Mako smiled sweetly. "I made a very special sword for my _sensei_, and your grandfather is the best sword polisher in the world. I needed the best to finish the sword."

The little girl grew quiet. "Really? Can I help him?"

"Ask him. But remember this: When I was your age, I helped my father with his swords, not far from here."

"You grew up here?"

Mako's smile went from sweet to sad. "For a while, yes. But my parents were killed by a Kaiju in Tokyo. I was adopted by someone in the PPDC and moved from 'Dome to 'Dome for a while with him, until I got into the Academy."

"Do you think I can go to the Academy?"

"I don't know if it'll be open once you're old enough. But if you work really hard and do well in school, I think that you could."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! THANKYOU!" The little girl raced into the house. "GRANDFATHER! MAKO TOLD ME I CAN GO TO THE ACADEMY!"

Raleigh chuckled. "Come on, Mako. Let's go catch that plane before Jurou catches you."

Mako shuddered. "What have I done?"

"You've unleashed a monster worse than any Kaiju… an overeager six-year-old with big dreams being told that they might just come true."

"Jurou's going to kill me. And you're right, I'm going to have to beat you on the mats for that."

Raleigh roared with laughter as they got into the car and drove to the airport.

-.-.-


	23. Chapter 23

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 23**

_Sacramento, CA, USA_

_May 31, 2025_

_1400_

Mako woke with a start as the flaps extended on the Southwest Airlines 737-800. She looked out the window at her new hometown. From what she had read, Sacramento had changed a lot since K-Day. When the San Francisco Bay area had been devastated, many of the survivors had moved the 100 miles inland to Sacramento. As a result, there had been a boom in construction during the first few years, and apartment complexes had replaced master planned communities as the primary form of housing in the region. All around the city, however, farms had risen up in areas once doomed to being turned into more suburban sprawl. As the plane descended towards the airport, Mako's superb eyesight could pick out numerous gardens in backyards. _Once Raleigh and I get settled, I think I'll try my hand at a garden._

The captain came on the overhead PA system. "Ladies and gentlemen, we're about five minutes from landing. The temperature is a warm 102* Fahrenheit today, and the air quality is fairly good for this time of year. Winds are out of the north at 5 miles an hour."

Mako felt Raleigh stir from his nap. _Hey, just in time. We're about to land._

_Like what you see out the window?_

_It's not bad. I'm going to need some time to adjust, though._

Raleigh smiled. _Me too. Seven years of having my housing being provided for me… It'll feel good to have someplace to call… well, it's ours, isn't it?_

Mako froze. _I guess so. That is going to take some getting used to…_

The gear deployed, and Mako watched the farmland rush under the plane as they approached the airport. Mako couldn't tell what it was, but it was apparently growing well.

Raleigh looked across the aisle at Hannibal Chau, who was apparently sleeping… until the tires chirped on the runway as the plane smoothly settled back to earth. At that point, Hannibal sat up straight in his seat, tugged at his collar, and folded his hands in his lap.

Raleigh and Mako laced their fingers together as the plane taxied to the gate. _Time to go meet Jazmine._

-.-.-

_Terminal B arrival area_

_Ten minutes later_

Jazmine waited for Mako, Raleigh, and Hannibal at the base of the escalator, not far from the infamous red rabbit sculpture Mako had read about. Raleigh let go of Mako and scooped Jaz up in a hug as Hannibal looked around for the proper baggage claim. "Hey, little sis. How are you?"

"Doing well. You?"

Mako smiled. "A little overwhelmed. It's been a while since I called a place other than a PPDC facility home."

"Who's the character that came with you?"

Raleigh grinned. "That is Hannibal Chau."

"THE Hannibal Chau? Of the Asian Kaiju black market fame?"

Raleigh, to his credit, didn't let the panic he felt reach his face. "Yeah. Why?"

"I read all about him in my MBA course last semester."

Raleigh relaxed. "Ah. Yeah, he's the one who's been really funding the PPDC for almost nine months now."

"Did he really cut his way out of a baby Kaiju?"

Raleigh smiled and crossed his arms, gaze fixed over Jazmine's left shoulder. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Jazmine blushed and slowly turned around. Hannibal Chau was standing there, watching her with a smug look of approval. "Oh. Sorry."

Chau smiled sweetly. "Looks like Carousel 1 has our bags."

Mako and Raleigh both darted over to grab their stuff, leaving Jazmine and Chau together for a moment.

"Yes, I did. Not my favorite thing I've ever done."

"How did you survive? I thought Kaiju blood was toxic?"

"Apparently, not when they're young. I got lucky."

Raleigh and Mako returned with the baggage. "Alright, Jaz, where'd you park?"

Jazmine led the way out the door towards the parking lot. "Pretty close. Borrowed a friend's SUV. Ah, there it is. Come on, let's get going."

-.-.-

Mako pulled out her tablet and began to sketch something on it. Raleigh looked at Jazmine and Hannibal already talking business in the front seat and opted to use the Ghost Drift to talk with Mako. _What are you working on?_

_You have your secret project, and I have mine._

_Fair enough._ Raleigh looked out the window as they drove along a freeway, headed east. "Jaz, where are we going? I thought that you were taking us to the hotel. All I'm seeing is a bunch of housing and businesses…"

"Relax, Raleigh. Herc asked me to pick one close to where you'll be working." She pointed out the window at something. "See?"

Raleigh and Mako both followed her cue and looked out the window just in time to see a United States Coast Guard HC-130H growl into the air, headed out for a mission. Raleigh smiled. He'd always had the utmost respect for the Coast Guard after their search for Raleigh five years earlier.

Mako instinctively laced her fingers through Raleigh's, dragging him back to the present. "Is the weather normally this hot?"

Jazmine laughed. "Yeah, it's going to be like this for most of the summer. Those who can afford to get out of town often do so and head to the mountains in the summer for weekend getaways. If you can't, there's two swim parks, the lakes, the rivers, and a number of community pools to escape the heat in."

Mako squirmed at the mention of the public swimming.

Raleigh noticed her discomfort. _It's okay, Mako. We don't have to do those yet. Besides, we can go find a backwoods spot to beat the heat._

_No, I need to get out and face my fears head on. The mall, though, is more of an outlook on life._ She smiled.

Jazmine looked at Mako in the mirror. "You know, I've seen the videos of you two sparring. Do you think you could teach me to do that?"

The two Rangers looked as if Jazmine had just grown a second head.

Raleigh's face darkened. "What video?"

"You haven't seen it? I think it was Herc Hansen who filmed it. You guys were outside, there was crowd, and you were sparring for six, seven minutes. It was awesome! There's a huge debate going on about whether you two rehearsed that, or if it was all instinctive."

Mako blushed as she recalled how the sparring match had ended. "I didn't know that Herc had recorded it. I wonder how many others he's filmed."

"So, could you teach me how you do it?"

Hannibal decided to step in. "Miss Becket, it's not as simple as you think. The Ghost Drift is critical in allowing the Rangers to deliver that performance. If you were to move with such speed and power, you might wind up seriously injuring or killing your partner when you slip up. When, not if."

Mako nodded. "Plus, Raleigh and I have found that our Ghost Drift gets stronger when the adrenaline kicks in, which enables us to fight at that level without ever landing a hit on the other."

Raleigh smiled. "That said… I'd be happy to teach you the moves at a much slower speed. With time, practice, and a strong Drift partner, perhaps you could fight at that level."

Jazmine nodded in understanding as she pulled off the freeway at their exit. "Ah, there it is. The local La Quinta Inns and Suites. There's basic cable and satellite available, and there's a pool in the courtyard."

Raleigh looked at the fast food joint next door to their hotel. "In'N'Out? Never heard of them."

"It's a SoCal-based company…"

"Whoa, Jaz, hang on. SoCal? You've gone native, sis."

Jazmine sighed. "Yeah, I guess I have. SoCal is short for Southern California."

"Ah. Anyways, SoCal based?"

"Right, they're a fast-food chain that has a HUGE following. I don't see the point. Yeah, their fries are better than say, McDonalds, but I just don't see the attraction. I prefer SmashBurger myself."

"Jaz, remember that Mako and I have been kinda… disconnected from the civilian world for a number of years now."

Chau seemed to be lost in thought. "I've been to one… It was a lifetime ago, though. Before the War."

Jazmine looked at him as they pulled into a parking space. "What did you do before the War? Before you became… well, you?"

"I don't talk about it. I like having that air of mystery about me."

"Works for me."

They piled out of the SUV, and Mako and Hannibal went to the reception to retrieve their respective room keys. Jazmine and Raleigh grabbed the luggage.

Jazmine looked at Mako and Raleigh's combined luggage. "That's all you guys own?"

"Yeah. Mine fits into one bag, Mako's into two. Rangers always tended to live light."

Jazmine looked at Mako's bags. "Do you know if she has any swimsuits?"

"I know she doesn't. She's got some body modesty issues she's trying to work out. It's a side effect of going through her teenage years in the PPDC."

Jazmine's face lit up with a light Raleigh remembered from childhood, one that only appeared when she set herself on a difficult task and expected to succeed. "Well, I know what Mako and I are doing soon. She is going to be getting some swimsuits, even if I have to drag her by the ear into the stores."

Raleigh laughed. "Good luck with that. Mako's very much a tomboy."

"Are you sure that's all that's behind it?"

Raleigh's laughs stopped cold, and he stared at Jazmine. "You have no right to pry for information through me. If you want to find out, talk to her yourself."

"Just tell me this, Raleigh. Would the events of Onibaba's attack have an effect on her response to malls?"

"I know the answer already, Jazmine. It was part of our first Drift."

"I know you had a rough one, compared with the first Drift with Yancy…"

"Jaz… the _real_ first Drift was done in private, in the J-Tech labs with a lab-grade Pons, not in a Jaeger. The one you and Mom watched was actually the second Drift. First Drifts are always rough, no matter how compatible you are. That's why they're usually private: so much can go wrong."

"And what went wrong with you and Mako?"

Raleigh looked back over Jazmine's shoulder. "Ask Mako."

"Ask me what?"

Jaz shoved Raleigh's bag at him. "Nothing."

"I know it's not nothing, Jazmine. Remember, I'm connected to Raleigh through the Ghost Drift."

Jazmine ground her teeth as she walked back to grab one of Hannibal's bags.  
Mr. Chau, would you like a hand with your luggage?"

Hannibal smiled. "If you would like to, then yes."

"Lead the way, then."

Chau swept his hand towards a stairway. "This way, Miss Becket."

"Please, call me Jazmine."

"Jazmine it is."

The two disappeared up the stairs, and Raleigh and Mako walked to their room, carrying all their luggage with ease.

Mako looked at the pool in the courtyard, then at Raleigh. "I wish I had a swimsuit, just to get out of the heat."

"Well, if you wore a dark shirt and that pair of blue gym shorts, I think you'd be fine. It'd also hide most of the scars."

"It's not the scars alone, Raleigh."

"I know, Mako. I know what the problem is." Raleigh sighed as he slid the keycard into the reader, and their door unlocked. "It's something that's up to you to fix. Just remember that I'm always here for you."

Mako opened the door and stepped into the much cooler room. "Oh, that feels good."

Raleigh smiled. "So would the pool. Or going to get some ice cream."

"We'd need a car first."

"True." He grabbed Mako's tablet and pulled up Craigslist. "If we're staying here in Sacramento with PPI, we're going to need a lot of stuff. Like a place to stay other than a hotel."

Mako looked at what Raleigh was doing. "Craigslist? What's that?"

Raleigh grinned. "The internet version of the classified ads in the newspaper."

Mako looked skeptical. "If was classified, then why was it in the newspaper?"

Raleigh howled in laughter.

"What? What did I say?"

"Oh, Mako… Sometimes you surprise me in the strangest ways." He wiped away a tear. "Classified ads aren't called that because they're secrets. I honestly don't know why they're called that. But it's something that physical newspapers used to run, where you could post job openings, cars for sale, that sort of stuff." He handed her the tablet. "Craigslist is the Internet version of that."

Mako went to the Apartments section, and her eyebrows shot up. "Whoa… There's a lot to choose from!" She showed Raleigh.

"Yeah, but since we don't have any idea where PPI will set up shop, and we don't have wheels…"

"Wait… I just remembered something, Raleigh."

"What's that?"

"You said 'we' when you were talking about finding a place to live."

Raleigh thought for a second. "You're right. It just slipped out that way…"

Mako looked at him. "Did you mean it? Us, together?"

"I guess so. If it's okay with you, anyways."

"Raleigh, I would love nothing more. After all, we've been sharing a bed for a while now."

They smiled at the thought. Mako rolled over and moved to kiss Raleigh.

_Knock knock knock._

Mako rolled her eyes as she got off the bed and went to the door. Jazmine was waiting with an excited grin on her face. Mako opened the door. "What's up, Jazmine?"

Jazmine grabbed Mako by the wrist. "Come on, Mako. We're going shopping."

Mako tried to dig in her heels and fight back, but the bullheaded determination that Raleigh had when he set his mind on something was apparently a family thing, and since Jazmine was stronger than Mako, she simply dragged the Ranger along like a child pulling a balloon. _Raleigh, help me! Jazmine's taking me shopping!_

_Sorry, but I'm not going to get in the path of Jazmine once she's gotten her mind set on something. I'd rather face down Knifehead again._

Mako scowled. _Surely you're exaggerating._

_Mako, just go along with it, and maybe she won't bother you about it again. But the more you struggle, the more of a challenge it becomes for her, and she loves nothing more than a challenge._

"Come on, Mako. It'll be fun!"

"Fun like Kaiju Blue is fun."

"Oh, come on, Mako. It's not that bad. You'll see!"

Mako could hear Raleigh's howls of laughter from the parking lot. _Raleigh Becket, you are _so_ dead…_

-.-.-

Author's note: The La Quinta that Mako, Raleigh, and Hannibal are staying at is real, as is the nearby In'N'Out. And yes, SmashBurger is better. SqueezeInn is even better, if the stories are to be believed, but I'm not driving 20 miles each way just to find out.

As for the red rabbit sculpture, yes, it's also real. It remains a source of much debate in the community.

And why is Mako so scared of malls? My headcanon is that the Mori family was at the mall when Onibaba began its attack. Let's just say that Mako's going to be in for a rough time, no matter what happens. Jazmine's personality is based off of my sisters, condensed into a single spirited and highly independent woman who won't take "no" for an answer unless it's for a _very_ good reason. Mako won't know what hit her. :P


	24. Chapter 24

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 24**

_I-80, eastbound towards Roseville, CA_

_May 31, 2025_

_1510_

Mako looked out the window as Jazmine drove towards the Roseville Galleria. She tried to ignore the other woman, but Jazmine was insistent on talking to Mako.

"Come on, Mako. It'll be fun."

"Fun like the stomach flu."

"Mako… Relax. It's not the end of the world."

"It sure seemed like it the last time I went."

"I know you and Raleigh have a good thing going… When I'm done with you, he's going to become a quivering puddle when he sees you."

"Jazmine… I just need a swimsuit. That's all I need."

"No, you need some shorts, and some more comfortable clothing… Ah, here we are." Jazmine left the freeway and headed towards a parking garage. "Lots of shops to choose from. Let's see what looks good on you and work from there."

-.-.-

_Ten minutes later_

Jazmine opened the door to the dressing room, dragged Mako into it, then closed the door… with Jazmine still inside. "Right, strip."

Mako froze. "What?"

"Off with the shirt, pants, socks, and shoes. I need to see what I'm working with."

_Raleigh… Please help me._

_Mako… I can't come help you. I literally can't, as I have no car to drive… Or a license to drive with if we did have wheels. Need to work on that._

Jazmine cocked an eyebrow. "Done talking to Raleigh yet?"

Mako sighed and pulled off her shirt, making sure that her right shoulder faced Jazmine. "Yes, I am."

Jazmine smiled as Mako finally conceded and removed her shirt. However, the smile disappeared as the circuitry suit burn scars appeared. "Mako… what happened to you? What are those scars from? They look like…"

"Like electrical circuits?"

"Yeah, they do. What are they from?"

Mako folded up the shirt she had been wearing. "The drivesuit. When Raiju tore off Gipsy's right arm, the damage caused the drivesuit feedback to overload. That's where the burns came from."

"Does Raleigh have them, too?"

"On both sides."

"Knifehead?"

Mako simply nodded as she sat down to pull off her shoes. "However, not all of our scars are physical. I have some neurological scarring that can cause me to feel like my arm's been torn off again."

"Does Raleigh have the same problem?"

"Thankfully, no. It's also why he was able to pilot Gipsy solo for six hours when Yancy…" Mako stopped, not wanting to reopen old wounds for Jazmine.

Jazmine was thoughtful for a while. "No matter what you wear for a swimsuit, the scars are going to show."

Mako smiled shyly. "I'm not worried about the scars. Quite the opposite, actually. I'm rather proud of them."

"Then why don't you have any swimsuits?"

The Ranger blushed. "I have… modesty issues."

Jazmine's face lit up as she realized what Mako was talking about. "Ahhhh… Yeah, I can see that being an issue."

"Okay, Jazmine… Let's see what you think." Mako slid her pants off and did a slow spin.

"Mako, I wish I was built like you. So lithe and athletic."

Mako blushed even more.

"You'd look good in anything that you feel comfortable with."

"Thank you, Jazmine."

"Now, get dressed. It's time to raid the racks and find some candidates!"

-.-.-

_20 minutes later_

Jazmine held up a bikini, looking at it, then Mako. "Nope, too skimpy." She hung it back up, then grabbed a one-piece. "This shows promise…"

Mako shook her head in disagreement. "Not quite what I'm looking for."

Jazmine raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Then what **are** you looking for?"

Mako appraised the selection of swimwear, then grabbed a plain blue bikini with red trim.

Jazmine looked at Mako, then the bikini. "Try it on, Mako. Let's see how it fits."

Mako entered the dressing room and stripped bare, then put on the bikini.

"How's it look, Mako?"

Mako opened the door and stepped out. "You tell me."

Jazmine paused, fighting the urge to drop her mouth open. _I wish I could pull that off. She looks like a model. _Instead, she broke out in a huge grin. "We have a winner. Raleigh will never know what hit him." She paused, clearly thinking something over. "Actually, let's get you another one just like that. I have a friend who owes me a favor, and I know just what I want to do with it. In the meantime…" She tossed Mako a skirt and shirt. "Try these on!"

-.-.-

_1615_

Mako looked at the stack of clothing Jazmine had picked out for her. _Four shirts, two skirts, two pair of shorts, a pair of flats, and two swimsuits._ She picked it up and walked to the checkout counter. _Let's hope it goes better than last time I went to pay for something myself…_

Mako set the stack down at the counter and brushed her hair out of her face as she pulled out her credit card and paid for the new clothes.

The clerk looked at Mako for a few seconds before it clicked. "Thank you for what you did, ma'am."

Mako smiled at her with ease born of long practice. "You're welcome."

The clerk bagged Mako's new clothing, then handed the bag and receipt to Mako. "Enjoy the new clothing, Miss Mori."

"I will." Mako forced herself to walk calmly to the door, where Jazmine waited for her.

"See? That wasn't so bad…"

"Before we leave… are there any tool stores nearby?"

"What, like Sears?"

Mako thought for a moment before stopping. "Perfect. I've always preferred Craftsman hand tools." She smiled. "Lead the way!"

Jazmine grumbled, but set out for Sears anyways. "Fifteen minutes, Mako. Then I'm headed back to the car."

Mako grinned. _More than enough time._

-.-.-

_1635_

Mako sat in the passenger seat, a new set of tools tucked beneath her feet and her new clothes in her lap. Smiling, she closed her eyes. _Raleigh, we're on our way back._

_How'd it go?_

_I got a new toolkit out of it, so I'm content with the trip._

Raleigh's bemusement traveled across the 10-mile gap between the Rangers. _And who needs the first aid more, you or Jaz?_

_I think we're about equal._

_Now… Remember our bet in Hawaii?_

Mako scowled. _Yes, I do. I have the money with me._

_Actually, I was wondering of you'd be willing to alter the deal we had…_

_No, you're not going to get more money, Raleigh…_

_How does dinner at a fancy restaurant sound to you?_

Mako blinked in surprise. _Wait, what? What does that have to do with the bet?_

_You'd pay._

Mako pondered it for a moment. _Sounds fair. What did you have in mind?_

_Ask Jaz. She'd know what's best._

_I'll have something in mind when we get back._

_Cool._

"Jazmine, what's a good place to go out to dinner around here?"

The youngest Becket thought for a while. "I know of this fantastic place in Old Fair Oaks. Don't recall the name, but it's on the south side of the town square."

"Do you think you could give us a lift?"

"It'd be my pleasure. However, does Raleigh have any clothes like what you'd where to church?"

Mako was about to ask Raleigh when he responded. _Yeah, I've got something. You, however… Unless you picked up something today, you don't have anything.._

"What's Rals say?"

"Yes, he has something nice to wear."

Jazmine thought for a moment, then focused on driving as they exited the freeway. "For you, I think if you were to wear that long blue skirt, the flats and that new blouse, you'd look phenomenal. Simple, but elegant." Jazmine pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. "Your hair, however…"

Mako had been letting it grow out ever since Pitfall, and it now hung halfway down her back in a loose ponytail. "What about it?"

They got out of the SUV. "I've got an idea. You'll look good, I promise."

Mako reached the room and swiped her keycard, then ducked into the cooler air-conditioned interior. Raleigh was still on the tablet, doing some sort of research project. "Whatcha up to, Raleigh?"

"You're really starting to have some of my speech patterns, aren't you?"

She lay down next to Raleigh. "I guess so."

"Anyways, I'm looking at what it would take for you and me to get drivers licenses here in California."

"And?"

"Shouldn't be hard. We just need to pass the written and driving tests." He set the tablet down. "So, what'd Jaz get you to buy?"

"Couple of shirts, skirts, and shorts."

"Nice! So, you have a place in mind for tonight?"

"I do."

Jazmine knocked on the door. "Mako? Raleigh? Can I come in?"

The two Rangers looked at each other and shrugged.

Raleigh got up and let Jazmine in. "Behave yourself, Jazmine."

"No worries, Rals. I'm just going to work on Mako's hair."

Raleigh raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Mako sighed and got up to face her fate at Jazmine's hands.

"Relax, Mako. I'm not going to torture you by doing something really involved."

Raleigh grabbed his keycard and quietly left the room, intending to start hunting for a car for him and Mako.

_Stay close in case I need you to rescue me._

Raleigh chuckled. _Chill, Mako. She's probably just going to braid it._

_Well that's not so bad._

_I'll be outside. Let me know when you're ready._

_Okay._

-.-.-

_1700_

Raleigh was browsing through Craigslist for a car or small truck when Jazmine came out of the hotel room. "Ready to come see Mako?"

Raleigh walked into the room… then stopped dead in his tracks. He'd seen Mako in everything from burnt drivesuits to ballroom gowns, but the simple ensemble she wore was far more beautiful than anything he'd seen her wear before. Raleigh looked her over from head to foot, taking it all in. Her hair had been put into a simple braid, running down her back. She wore a light blue blouse and a white shirt underneath, and a long blue skirt flowed down to the ground where her red flats just barely peeked out. A simple but elegant watch replaced her more typical Timex Ironman on her left wrist, and her Jaeger Academy class ring was on her right ring finger. "Wow, Mako. You look good."

Mako blushed deeply at the compliment. "Thanks, Raleigh."

"Jaz, the watch… I know that watch."

It was Jazmine's turn to blush. "It was Mom's watch. I never wear it, because my wrists are too large. It fits Mako perfectly, though. I figured she'd be able to use it more."

Raleigh walked over and hugged his sister. "Thank you, Jazmine," he whispered.

"You're welcome, Raleigh. Now, get dressed. You two have a dinner date."

Mako frowned as a thought occurred to her. "Uhm… How are we going to get there?"

Jazmine smiled sweetly. "I'll drive you two this time. Besides, Mr. Chau and I are going to go have a working dinner as we lay some of the groundwork for Pan Pacific Industries, starting with finding us a physical location to set up offices and a small workshop."

Raleigh ducked into the bathroom to change, still listening to the conversation via Mako. "Well, Raleigh, Herc, and I still need to get the museum sorted out first… But as soon as the PPDC stands down and PPI is formed, I've got a few ideas to try out."

"First things first, though Mako. We need to get you a driver's license, a car, and a place of your own, too."

"Raleigh's been looking into cars… But I'll need lessons. I never learned to drive."

Raleigh smiled and walked out of the bathroom, dressed in a button-up shirt and slacks. "We'll deal with that once the time comes, Mako." He hugged her and kissed her atop her head. "In the meantime, let's go get some dinner."

Mako looked up at Raleigh and smiled. "Sounds like a plan. Jazmine, you ready?"

Jazmine headed towards the door. "I've been ready for a while. Come on, you two. Time to have some time as just another couple enjoying an early summer night, instead of being the world saving crew of Gipsy Danger."

Mako and Raleigh held hands and walked out after Jazmine, smiling and happy in their own little universe.


	25. Chapter 25

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 25**

_Mako and Raleigh's hotel room_

_June 5, 2025_

_0937_

Mako rummaged through her new clothes, concerned. "Raleigh, did you see a second blue bikini floating around somewhere?"

Raleigh shook his head. "Nope. I've only seen the one. Why?"

"I can't find it. Where did it go?"

As if on cue, a knock came from the door.

Mako sighed and walked over to the door and looked out. Jazmine was waiting there with a bag in her hand. Mako let her in, unsure of what was going on.

"Mako, I'm guessing you're looking for this…" Jazmine handed Mako the bag. Inside was the missing bikini.

"Why did you take it, Jazmine? It's too small for you."

"Look at it closely."

Mako did as she had been advised, and discovered some subtle alterations. "Jazmine… It's perfect."

Four tiny white Kaiju kill marks traced along the edge of the bikini top on the left side next to Mako's name, and a small Gipsy Danger logo graced the right.

Jazmine smiled broadly as Raleigh walked over to look.

Mako, however, snatched the bikini away from Jazmine and raced off to the bathroom, leaving a very confused Raleigh standing next to his sister.

"Okay, sis. What's this all about?"

"We're going to the water park."

"Uh, you sure Mako's going to agree to this?"

"Oh, I'm positive. You saw the weather forecast for today, right?"

Raleigh shuddered as he remembered. "42°C, and no cooling breeze tonight."

"Yep. So, time to head to the pools and water slides. Beside, you've never been. Mako hasn't either, right?"

"True."

"Then pack your towel and some sunblock. We're going to Sunsplash."

-.-.-

_30 minutes later_

Mako gaped as she saw all the slides and pools. "We can use all of this?"

Jazmine laughed. "Yes. They actually _added_ some slides and pools during the war. More people to serve, I guess."

Raleigh smiled as Mako's excitement got the better of her. She grabbed Raleigh's hand and practically dragged him to the entrance like a child dragging their parent into a toy store. "Come on, Raleigh! I want to try that halfpipe slide!"

-.-.-

_2 minutes later_

_Storage lockers_

Mako pulled off the shirt she had worn over the bikini top, making sure Raleigh was in sight. She was rewarded by Raleigh stopping dead in his tracks as surely as if he'd run into a wall. The stupefied look on his face, however, was the icing on the cake. _Jazmine was right. This did leave him stunned. Now, what else to do to poor Raleigh? This is fun! _Mako looked up at the sun, and remembered that she had "forgotten" to put on sunblock. _Hmm… _"Raleigh, can you help me with the sunblock?"

"Sure. Let me put some stuff in the locker first, though."

"Okay."

Raleigh stored Mako's backpack, then retrieved the bottle of sunblock. "Where do you need help with?"

_Hmm… _"I didn't get any on before we left the hotel, actually."

"No worries. I'm sure you can get your face by yourself, though." Raleigh winked at her.

Mako blushed and mentally berated herself for forgetting that she and Raleigh shared their thoughts more and more as time went by. "Sorry… I forgot about…"

"Hush. Not here. There's already a couple of people eyeing your scars."

"Let them. I've earned it."

Raleigh laid out his towel on the bench, then gestured to Mako. _Come on, it'll be easier to do your back if you sit or lay down._

Mako chose the former, and sat down, back facing her copilot. _Make sure to get everything, Raleigh._ She closed her eyes as Raleigh began to work the sunblock into her skin. "Mmmmm… Feels good."

"The chance to have a vacation, or me with the sunblock?"

"Can't it be both?"

Raleigh didn't respond, instead focusing on the task at hand. He gently worked the sunblock into Mako's shoulders, teasingly tracing her circuitry suit scars. "They look good on you, Mako."

Mako opened her mouth to respond, but a young voice interrupted her. "Whoa… Cool tattoos, miss!"

Mako had been looking the other way, but she made sure to look at the child, a boy wearing a Gipsy Danger shirt and a pair of Romeo Blue swim trunks. "They're not tattoos. They're scars."

The boy's eyes bugged out as he realized just who he was talking to. "No. Way. The guys won't believe this." He eyed the burn scars again. "So, that's from Gipsy? During Pitfall?"

Raleigh stepped in by simply pulling off his own shirt, revealing his own scars. "Yeah. Circuitry suits aren't meant to relay the agony of having an arm ripped off of your Jaeger."

The boy gulped. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bother you…"

Mako smiled. "It's okay."

The boy's mom walked up. "Matthew, where have you… Oh. Hello. I hope my son has been polite."

"No worries, ma'am. He's been a gentleman."

Matthew mother smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

Raleigh looked at Matthew. "Do you have any other questions?"

"Yeah. What brought you guys here to Sacramento? I thought that there weren't any PPDC facilities here?"

"We're on a bit of a vacation, and my sister lives here. So we decided to pay a visit. She wanted to go swimming today, so we came with her."

"Come on, Matthew. We're meeting Alex, remember?"

"Oh yeah! See you guys, and enjoy your vacation!"

Mako and Raleigh both waved and smiled as the boy and his mother walked off towards the far side of the water park.

"Okay, Mako. Your turn to do my back."

-.-.-

Mako and Raleigh finished with their sunblock, then decided on the first ride to take. Mako insisted on the halfpipe, so Raleigh grabbed a two-seat tube and they went to the start of the line.

-.-.-

_5 minutes later_

_Splashdown pool for Stealth halfpipe slide_

Raleigh looked at Mako, laughing as she slowly released her death grip on the handles of the two-seat tube. "What'd you think?"

Mako, to her credit, had managed to keep her screams to a tolerable level. "Watashi wa futatabi sono jigoku no sōzō ni notta koto ga nai shite imasu." _I am never riding that infernal creation again._

Raleigh just laughed harder.

Mako scowled. "Glad to see _someone_ enjoyed the ride."

"I didn't enjoy the ride. I just enjoyed your reaction."

Mako didn't have any response to that, so she flipped the tube, dumping Raleigh into the water with a yelp.

Raleigh came up spluttering, but with a grin plastered across his face. "Okay, I earned that one."

"That you did. Let's try something a little more… sedate. Like the wave pool."

Raleigh simply scooped up the raft and gave it to a little girl and her friend. "Enjoy your run, but don't go on Stealth."

"Why not?"

"It scares a Ranger who's fought Kaiju."

The little girl paled, clutched the raft closer, and nodded. "Stay off Stealth. Got it."

_Raleigh, you're terrible._

_You know you love it._

Mako rolled her eyes and waded into the wave pool and began to swim towards the deep end.

Raleigh followed closely behind her, matching her stroke for stroke… until the waves started. Raleigh dove under a wave, then accelerated towards Mako while underwater.

Mako sensed him coming as she rode out another wave. _You know I know you're coming._

Raleigh surfaced next to her. "Spoilsport."

Both Rangers looked up at the sound of a shriek of delight. _Jazmine._ They looked at each other, then swam towards the exit from the wave pool, intent on riding whatever Jazmine had been riding.

-.-.-

_1830_

Mako, Raleigh, and Jazmine walked out the gates, headed back to Jazmine's car. Mako was sunburned and tired, and happily leaned into Raleigh. "Jazmine?"

"What's up, Mako?"

"How do I treat a sunburn?"

"Ride it out. Wait for it to heal."

Mako looked at her arms, frowning at them. "I thought that the sunblock would keep me from getting burnt."

"Not quite. You'll still get fried, just nowhere near as bad."

Raleigh decided to make Mako's life a little easier. "Mako, I know of something that will help with the sunburn, no matter what Jazmine says."

His copilot turned to him. _Please, tell me more._

"You ever heard of Aloe Vera extract?"

"No… Why?"

Jazmine scoffed. "Aloe? It's not going to remove the sunburn."

Raleigh laughed. "No, it won't. But it will make it more tolerable. Especially if it's been refrigerated first."

Mako looked at Jazmine, her eyes begging.

"Okay, we'll stop by the store and pick some up."

"Thank you, Jazmine!"

-.-.-

_2000_

_Mako and Raleigh's hotel room_

Raleigh pulled the bottle of gel from the hotel room's minifridge. "Ready, Mako?"

Mako nodded and pulled her t-shirt off.

Raleigh squirted a little bit of the aloe gel into his hand. "It's nice and cold. Should feel real good."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Raleigh smeared it across Mako's shoulders.

Mako gasped as Raleigh slathered on the clear, cold gel. "It feels so good."

"Not used to sunburns, are you?"

"Not really, no. How'd you find out about this?"

"Lima Shatterdome medical team. Yancy and I spent an afternoon on the beach and got fried. We looked like lobsters."

Mako sighed as the heat of the burns ebbed away. "Wow… that stuff works."

"Well, the cold takes the heat off, but the Aloe allows the skin to rehydrate some. Helps it heal."

"I could care less how it works. The fact is…" Mako trailed off as the Aloe dried up. "Okay… that feels weird." She shivered.

Raleigh chuckled. "Yeah, it does feel kinda strange, doesn't it? Just move around a bit, and wear a shirt. It'll wear off."

Mako grabbed the first shirt she saw and slipped it on. It was only after she found out she was practically swimming in it that she realized that it wasn't hers. She opened her mouth to make a joke about it, but shut it as Raleigh's phone rang with a familiar ring tone.

"_I come from a land down under…"_

Raleigh took the call and put it on speakerphone. "Good morning, Herc. How's Australia?"

"Great, considering its winter here."

Mako sat on the bed and lay in Raleigh's lap. "How'd that personal task go?"

"Wonderful. I'll go into more detail later, but we're going to be picking up another person for the Senior Staff. Now, Raleigh, did you tell Mako about that briefing I gave you before you left?"

"No, sir. I wanted to relax for a bit."

"Fair enough. Mako, be nice to Raleigh. I totally understand where he's coming from."

Mako scowled as she looked at Raleigh. "No promises."

Raleigh smiled. "So, when will you be here?"

"Sunday. We'll spend Monday getting settled, then go to Oblivion Bay on Tuesday."

"Sounds like a plan. Anything else, sir?"

"No, that's it. And Mako? I'm sorry in advance for not telling you what Raleigh's going to share, but I also wanted to make sure you had a chance to relax. And I want a promise, on _sensei_'s honor, that you won't jump straight into designing a solution to the problem."

Mako gritted her teeth. _Raleigh, you know how much I hate being left in the dark._

_Sorry, Mako. I wanted you to relax first._

"Okay, Herc. I promise."

A female voice rang out in the background on Herc's end. "Right, I'll see you guys Sunday."

"See you soon, sir." Raleigh ended the call.

"Okay, Raleigh. What's the big issue?"

"Mako… the Kaiju aren't gone for good."

"I would have been surprised if they did stay gone. How soon do we need to have a new fleet of Jaegers?"

"Two years."

"No problem. We just need… oh. We need a place to stage them and build them."

"And we need to know where to stage them. No one knows where the next Breach will open. For all we know, it could open in Central Park."

Mako's face fell. "So how do we keep them from coming back?"

As Raleigh began to explain the revelations that Newt had received from his Ghost Drift, he could feel Mako's brain jump into a creative overdrive. _Mako… We need to get Pan Pacific Industries up and running first. Jot down your ideas, and come back to them later._

Mako responded by doing just that. _Sorry, it's just that when the ideas start to flow… It's hard to stop them._

"Then perhaps this will help." Raleigh pulled out his new tablet. "Apartment hunting?"

Mako finished jotting down her thoughts, then lay back down next to Raleigh. "I was thinking a studio apartment."

"Sounds good. Let's see what we can find…"


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's notes:** This chapter has some… darker elements to it. So, if thoughts of self-harm or suicide are a turnoff, I'm sorry in advance. It's a topic I've been trying to avoid, but I felt I should touch on it. Again, I'm sorry if you're not comfortable with the subject. Just… skip over the flashback.

Also, if you've never heard of Miranda Schaeffer, I strongly advise that you read "Herc's Holiday" to get a better understanding of who she is.

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 26**

_Mako and Raleigh's hotel room_

_Sacramento, CA_

_Sunday, June 8, 2025_

_0657_

Raleigh woke up to Mako twitching in her sleep, caught in another nightmare. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. She stilled, and then slowly woke up.

"Hey, you okay, Mako?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I was dreaming of that first day after Pitfall again…"

Raleigh didn't say anything, instead hugging his copilot close. _Those were tough days for her… just like it had been for me after Knifehead._

Mako just grabbed her pillow and wrapped her arms around it, crushing it against her chest as she recalled that first day of the rest of her life… and how she almost threw it away.

-.-.-

_High above Gipsy Danger Repair Bay_

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_January 13, 2025_

_0721_

_Beedlebeedle._

_Beedlebeedle._

Mako looked down at the floor of the Shatterdome, so far below. She took another step towards the end of the girder she stood on.

"MAKO!"

_Raleigh…_ "Please, Raleigh. Go back to the party."

The girder wiggled a little. "No." His voice was firm, and closer. "If you go, I go too. We're in this together, Mako. I didn't give you my oxygen and eject you from Gipsy just to let you throw it all away."

Mako slowly turned back to face Raleigh. Tears streaked down his face, and he was clearly upset.

"Mako… I've been in your shoes. You know this better than anyone."

"Raleigh… _Sensei_ was the only family I had left. He and Gipsy were my life. I just want to go be with them again."

"Mako… this isn't the way to do that. Do you think Pentecost would be proud of _this?_"

Mako didn't respond.

"Come on, Mako. Let's just talk for a bit like adults. If you still want to take that jump afterwards, then I will respect that."

She looked up at him. "Okay."

Raleigh sat down on the edge of the girder, feet hanging into the abyss below. Mako sat down next to him. "You saw this in the Drift, didn't you? Me, in the Icebox, on a beam over Gipsy's old home."

Mako nodded.

"Do you know what pushed me back from the edge?"

"No."

"Pentecost came out on the beam with me. He had me sit down, just like you are now. And we talked it out."

Mako looked Raleigh in the eyes. "I didn't know. It wasn't in the records…"

"Because he insisted that it not be recorded."

Raleigh pulled out a battered old iPod, scrolled through the tracks, and selected a song. He put one of his earbuds into Mako's ear, and the other into his. Then, he hit play. It started with a little bit of piano, then other instruments began to play.

Then, the lyrics began, and Mako began to cry.

_Well, I know the feeling_

_Of finding yourself stuck out on the ledge_

_And there ain't no healing_

_From cutting yourself with the jagged edge_

_I'm telling you that, it's never that bad_

_Take it from someone who's been where you're at_

_Laid out on the floor_

_And you're not sure you can take this anymore_

Raleigh took her hand in his.

_So just give it one more try to a lullaby_

_And turn this up on the radio_

_If you can hear me now_

_I'm reaching out_

_To let you know that you're not alone_

_And if you can't tell, I'm scared as hell_

_'Cause I can't get you on the telephone_

_So just close your eyes_

_Oh, honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby._

Raleigh began to sing along, his voice cracking with emotion.

"_Please let me take you_

"_Out of the darkness and into the light_

"_'Cause I have faith in you_

"_That you're gonna make it through another night_

"_Stop thinking about the easy way out_

"_There's no need to go and blow the candle out_

"_Because you're not done_

"_You're far too young_

"_And the best is yet to come"_

Mako looked at Raleigh, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"_So just give it one more try to a lullaby_

"_And turn this up on the radio_

"_If you can hear me now_

"_I'm reaching out_

"_To let you know that you're not alone_

"_And if you can't tell, I'm scared as hell_

"_'Cause I can't get you on the telephone_

"_So just close your eyes_

"_Oh, honey here comes a lullaby_

"_Your very own lullaby"_

Raleigh stopped singing, but he let the song continue.

_Well, everybody's hit the bottom_

_Everybody's been forgotten_

_When everybody's tired of being alone_

_Yeah, everybody's been abandoned_

_And left a little empty handed_

_So if you're out there barely hanging on..._

_Just give it one more try to a lullaby_

_And turn this up on the radio_

_If you can hear me now_

_I'm reaching out_

_To let you know that you're not alone_

_And if you can't tell, I'm scared as hell_

_'Cause I can't get you on the telephone_

_So just close your eyes_

_Oh, honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby_

_Oh, honey here comes a lullaby_

_Your very own lullaby_

Raleigh shut down the iPod, wiping away tears of his own. "Mako, I'm not going to let you do this. Think about everyone here that cares for you. Tendo. Herc. Max."

Mako giggled at the mention of the Hansen's bulldog.

Raleigh gently held Mako's chin in his hand and lifted her face to look at his. "Me."

Mako's body tensed as if hit by lightning. "You do?"

"Mako… You and I fought Kaiju side by side. We know each other's deepest secrets. How could I not care for you?"

Mako looked down at her feet as Raleigh stood up and walked off the girder. He turned to face her.

"Besides, both of us have been given a second chance at life. How many people these days can say that they've been so lucky?"

Mako smiled as she looked at Raleigh. "Quit using the guilt card, Raleigh."

"Why? Because it's so effective?"

"No… because I don't need any more convincing." Mako stood up, brushed herself off and walked to the end of the beam, looking down. "The singer was right. This was the easy way out."

Raleigh's heart jumped into his throat. _Please… no…_

Mako turned around and walked back to Raleigh, smiling. "And I never back down from a challenge."

Raleigh broke out in tears as he hugged her tight. "Don't ever scare me like that again, Mako."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Mako shook her head as she returned to the present. "Raleigh, do you still have that song you played on the girder?"

Raleigh pulled out his iPod. "I've made sure to have it with me ever since that day."

"Can you play it again?"

"You okay?"

"Yes. I… I just want to hear it again."

Raleigh offered her an earbud, then hit play.

-.-.-

_Kaiju Sciences Labs_

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Monday, June 9, 2025_

_0048_

_(0948, June 8, 2025, Pacific Daylight Time)_

Hermann awoke to a chime from his computer. "About time." He activated the display… then immediately reached for the phone and dialed Herc's number. _I don't care if he's in flight… it'll go to voicemail and he needs to know this as soon as possible_.

Newt walked in right as Hermann began to speak. "Marshall, this is Dr. Gottlieb. I've been running an analysis for that project you wanted me to do… call me back when you get a secure line. It's urgent." He hung up, then turned to face Newt.

"Okay, Hermann. How bad is it?"

Hermann spun the holographic globe around to display the Pacific Ocean. More than two dozen slashes of red blinked around the Pacific Rim. "These are areas that could support the formation of a Breach."

Newt looked closely. "I see that you've still got Challenger Deep marked."

"Yes. It's still the best spot to create the Breach, from both an energy and security standpoint."

"Hmmm… Wait, just off Seattle? I didn't know that there was Trench there!"

"There isn't a Trench. It's the Cascadia Subduction Zone."

Newt expertly "grabbed" the highlighted area and blew it up for a closer look. "Wait a second… The most stable spot for a Breach is miles underground, right in the heart of the fault line." He looked at Hermann. "There's no way a Kaiju could get through that."

"Who says they have to release a Kaiju through the Breach? If my math is right…"

"Which it almost always is the first time 'round…"

"The formation of a Breach there would be enough to trigger a catastrophic earthquake there."

Newt, for once, was totally silent as the gravity of the situation sank in.

Hermann then pulled the view back to a global scale and pointed at the Atlantic. "Then there's this…"

Newt looked closely… and saw a red slash appear near Puerto Rico. "No… We don't have any defenses there. No shelters, no evacuation drills…"

"Indeed."

"So… what do we do?"

Hermann shut down the projector. "I don't know. We can't build a Wall on the Atlantic coast. It's not effective."

"Then I guess we need to set up sensor nets all around the world, watching for the Breach."

"It's a good place to start."

Hermann's phone rang, and he looked at the number. "Shoo, Newton. It's Vanessa."

To his credit, Newt didn't protest. Instead, he decided to go for a walk while Hermann talked with his wife and infant daughter, both of whom were in Europe, where he had thought they would be safe.

_Now, with the revelation of the Puerto Rico Trench being a viable point to open a Second Breach… nowhere is safe._

Newt snapped out of his reverie and found himself in his quarters, holding his phone and about to dial. _Wait… why was I about to call that number? She's never answered before. Never even responded. So what could I possibly get from trying to contact Dr. D'onofrio now?_

Still, Newt put the call through. It rang a few times before a tired male voice came through. "Hello?"

"H-h-hi. I'm Dr. Newton Geizler. With the PPDC."

The man on the other end perked up. "PPDC?"

"You know, the Pan Pacific…"

"I know what the PPDC is, son. I was in it for a while… until my Jaeger fell."

_Oh… snap. It's Sergio. _"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't recognize your voice."

A rough chuckle came from the other end. "The chemo hasn't been nice to me, I'm afraid. At least Caitlin is still cancer-free. Thank God for small miracles."

"Actually, she's the reason I called."

"Well, it'll have to wait a few days. She's currently taking part in a technical conference in Washington, D.C."

"When she gets back, can you have her call the Hong Kong Shatterdome? We'd like her expertise on some systems."

"From what I've heard from her, Dr. Geizler, you've got a pretty good grasp on the systems she's an expert at."

"Well…"

"I'll have her call you."

"Thank you, sir."

_Click._

-.-.-

The song Raleigh played was "Lullaby" by Nickleback, if you're wondering.


	27. Chapter 27

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 27**

_Sacramento International Airport_

_June 8, 2025_

_1945_

Mako and Raleigh watched through the windows as the airliner touched down on Runway 16L, brief spurts of smoke erupting as the tires went from being still to spinning at several hundred RPM in under a second. It slowed down swiftly, courtesy of the stiff breeze from the south which marked the return of cooler weather for the next few days. Mako grabbed the simple sign they had made and headed to the exit of the people mover, waiting for Herc and the new arrival to the Senior Staff.

Raleigh, however, waited and watched the plane taxi over to Gate B5, slowly approaching under the guidance of the ground crew. He'd always wondered what the hand signals meant, but had never had a chance to find out before the War had come.

Finally, the plane eased to a stop ad shut down its engines. As soon as the engines powered down, a number of people wearing Day-Glo green vests with white stripes swarmed the airplane, chocking the tires, hooking up umbilical cables, guiding the Jetway into place, and opening the cargo hold. Belt loaders and baggage carts arrived, and four people scrambled into the hold, and soon the bags were flowing down the belts to the carts, where they were speedily stacked.

Raleigh shook his head in amazement at the seemingly haphazard hustle and bustle, all around a multi-million dollar piece of hardware. "It all seems so chaotic," he muttered.

To Raleigh's surprise, a voice behind him responded to his comment. "You'd be surprised how well coordinated it is. It's not ballet, but its close. Much more physically demanding, though."

Raleigh turned to face the newcomer. He wore an orange safety vest, kneepads, and gloves, and had a pair of yellow earmuffs draped around his neck and some sunglasses parked atop his head. He gestured at the Alaska Airlines plane. "That Boeing 737 has 1.5 tons of luggage under her cabin floor, split between a forward and aft hold, along with an assortment of cargo and possibly mail. The fun part? Those guys have 15 minutes from wheel stop to get the last bag onto the claim belt. Probably Carousel 2, since Jet Blue just dropped their last load about a minute ago."

"You work with them?"

"Ah, no. I work with Delta, Jet Blue, and Hawaiian. Contractor."

Raleigh nodded. "Then you probably handled my sister's baggage a few weeks back. She went to Hawaii and back."

"What for?"

Raleigh looked back out the window. "Much-belated funeral. Our brother, who died back on Leap Year Day in 2020, up by Anchorage."

"I'm sorry for your loss. Yancy was a good pilot."

Raleigh whirled around. "How'd you know?"

"Your face is kinda hard to miss these days." The ramp worker gestured over his shoulder with a thumb at the news stand behind them. Raleigh and Mako's faces still graced the covers of a half-dozen magazines on display.

Raleigh laughed. "True."

"Anyways, I need to get back over to Terminal A and clock back in. Lunch breaks only last so long, you know?"

Raleigh's stomach grumbled. "Tell me about it."

With a laugh, the worker turned and walked around a corner.

Raleigh looked back out the window and saw a nearly full people mover car approaching, and headed over to stand with Mako.

-.-.-

Herc and Miranda stepped out of the people mover, carry-on baggage in hand. They instantly spotted Mako and Raleigh, courtesy of the bulldog clipart sign. Herc pulled Mako into a bear hug, and shook Raleigh's hand. However, he could sense their unease at Miranda's presence. _Time to defuse the situation. _"Come on, Raleigh. Let's go get the luggage."

-.-.-

Mako watched Herc and Raleigh go down the escalator to get the luggage, unsure of what to do next. She was surprised by Miranda. _She's so much like Tamsin, but just a little bit more… compact._

"Mako… Hello? Earth to Mako."

Mako snapped back to reality. "Sorry. You remind me of someone I used to know."

Miranda smiled sadly. "Which Kaiju got them?"

"It wasn't a Kaiju. It was a Jaeger."

Miranda raised an eyebrow, clearly curious.

"You know how the Mark I Jaegers weren't very well shielded, right?"

"Yeah. Chuck told me that Herc can't have kids anymore. The radiation…" She trailed off.

"Every crew of a Mark I suffered some ill effect."

"So… cancer?"

Mako nodded. "Tamsin fought it to the bitter end, hoping to live long enough to see the end of the war. She almost made it, too. Another three months, and she could have been there in Hong Kong with us with a little time to spare."

Miranda put a hand on Mako's shoulder. "Come on, let's go bug the boys. Just because I'm six months along doesn't mean I can't carry some of my own luggage."

Mako laughed. "True. Any idea if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Nope. I want it to be a surprise." Miranda winced. "They're really active, though. Seems to enjoy kicking me in odd places."

Mako turned to Miranda, full of questions but unsure whether this was the right time to ask. Some of her curiosity must have leaked through to her face, however, as Miranda smiled sweetly. "Don't worry. When it's your turn, I'll answer all your questions, Mako."

Mako relaxed as the two women walked off the escalator to see Herc and Raleigh juggling five bags of luggage… with four hands. Miranda stood there, dumbfounded, as the two men carefully balanced the fifth bag atop the one in Herc's right hand and Raleigh's left.

Mako, however, darted up and caught it right as it began to tumble. She used her free hand to gently smack her copilot upside the head. "Dork. Let me grab it from the get-go next time."

"Why didn't you smack Herc, too? It was his idea."

"It was?"

Miranda walked over. "Sure seems like it would be one of his ideas."

Mako turned to face Raleigh again. "No, I _know _it was your idea, Raleigh."

Raleigh hung his head, defeated, as Herc howled with laughter.

Now, however, it was Miranda's turn to be confused. "Mako… How? How can you possibly know?"

Raleigh trudged off to the car, as this was a key part of the explanation Mako was about to give.

"Okay, you know how Rangers think and act as one in the Drift?"

"Yeah."

"Well… the connection between copilots doesn't end when the Drift is terminated. Especially with a Drift as strong as the one I share with Raleigh."

"So… you can hear his thoughts?"

"Only if he really fixates on one in particular, or if I'm focused on listening. For example, if Raleigh's out at the car, where I can't see or hear him, and he talks to someone, I can hear his conversation as if he were a few meters away behind us. Unless I focus on it, I can't make out everything he says or hears. However, if he focuses on a single message, like 'Come on, Mako. Quit talking to Miranda. The van's unlocked.'… I can hear it clearly."

"Wait… did he just do that?"

"Yes." Mako started towards the door, and Herc and Miranda followed.

"Whoa…" Miranda turned to Herc. "Can all paired Rangers do that?"

A pained look crossed Herc's face. "No. Only a really strong Ghost Drift can allow that. Chuck and I would sometimes get it just after a combat Drift, but not all the time like Raleigh and Mako. Theirs is unusually strong."

"Oh."

The three came upon Raleigh leaned against the back hatch of the van, with Jazmine behind the wheel. "About time."

Miranda smiled. "Sorry, Rahh-leigh. But I'm sure you knew just about when we'd get here."

Raleigh stiffened at the incredibly accurate impression of Chuck.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to spook you like that."

"It's okay. Everyone ready?"

Herc closed the back hatch. "Yup. All the bags are squared away now."

They clambered into the van and started off to the hotel, eager to get a good night's sleep.

-.-.-

_Hong Kong Shatterdome_

_Wednesday, June 11, 2025_

_0845_

Newt jumped as his computer pinged at him. He looked at the screen to see that his Skype account had an incoming call from an unknown caller. Curious, he accepted the call.

The image on the screen showed a petite blond woman fiddling with something mechanical. She pushed her glasses back up her nose, then noticed that the call had gone through. "Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Geizler. I hadn't expected you to take the call so quickly."

"And you are?"

The woman smiled. "Do you really not recognize me with the longer hair?"

Newt paused, trying to place her face… then his jaw dropped. "Dr. D'onofrio!"

"Please, call me Caitlin." She finished fiddling with the device, then snapped a skin-like covering over it. Suddenly, Newt realized what it was. _It's a prosthetic leg. Hers, probably._

She saw the look of surprise on Newt's face and smiled. "They still hiding the fact that I lost a good part of my right leg during that last fight?"

"Yeah… I guess so."

"Hmph. I told them it was okay to let that out to the public years ago."

"Probably for morale purposes."

"True. Now, you said you had something you wanted to discuss regarding the Ghost Drift?"

"Yeah. You're THE expert on the Drift, so I wanted to talk with you about the bond between Mako and Raleigh."

"I've heard the stories. I'm quite curious to hear just how strong it is."

"Did you ever meet the Kaidonovskies?"

"Yes. They had long been the benchmark for compatibility and stability in the Drift. Spent a week watching them and studying their bond. Why?"

"I think Mako and Raleigh's connection might be even stronger. Did you hear about their first Drift?"

"Yes, I did. Rather unusual to do a first Drift in a combat ready Jaeger. Usually it's done in the labs."

"We were… pressed for time."

"So I heard."

"Well, I've talked with Tendo…"

Caitlin cut him off. "How is he, by the way?"

"Good. He's been serving as Marshall Hansen's aide de camp for a while now, but he's taking a few much-deserved days off now."

"Good for him. I'll make sure to call him soon. Anyways, what did Tendo have to say?"

"Oh, yeah. He said that Gipsy's plasma cannon deployed… in response to Mako's RABIT."

Caitlin froze. "That shouldn't be possible."

"Yet it happened. Mako and Raleigh's Drift was somehow able to override all the safeguards other than pulling the main power bus into LOCCENT."

"My God."

"Yeah. I wasn't there for that, though. I was still kinda shaken by the Drift with the frontal lobe from Mutavore."

"A remarkable feat, I might add. One that even I didn't think would be possible."

"Even I had doubts it would work. But the possible rewards _far_ outweighed the risks."

"And they were. We do have you to thank for saving the world."

"Aw, shucks. I think that Mako and Raleigh deserve much more credit than I do."

"Point. Speaking of whom… You said that you're concerned for them?"

"Yeah. I've been using them to provide a baseline figure for the new Drift matrix I'm making. But it's hard to get a baseline, because their neural activity in the Drift is higher than anything I've ever heard of. It's not off the charts, but it's still extremely high. And their Ghost drift is equally strong."

"So what's your concern?"

"Well, will their personalities fuse, or something like that?"

Caitlin was quiet.

"Oh, god. They will, won't they?"

"Not quite like that. Yes, certain aspects will bleed across to the other. But they're not going to become one mind in two bodies. That's just crazy."

"Phew."

"However… Have they been keeping physical proximity to each other?"

"They've been practically inseparable since Pitfall."

"Not surprising. It took a long time for Sergio and I to be able to go out and do things alone. It'll be hard for them if they want to."

"That's the thing, though. I don't think they want to."

"Then let them be together. I saw the video of them sparring. There's more to their bond than just the Ghost Drift."

Newt's eyes lit up. "Oh, I know. There's a pool going on as to how long until Raleigh asks her… Want in?"

"By all means. But only on one condition."

"Name it."

"Have them get in touch with me. I'd very much like to have a chat with them."

"I'll arrange it as soon as I can."

"Alright, then. What's the going bet right now?"

-.-.-

Author's note: I'm in the middle of moving right now, so I do apologize for the longer time between chapters. As soon as I get settled, I'll pick up the pace again.

The scene about the Ghost Drift was in response to a question I was asked. I'd had a whole logic behind it already set up, and this just gave me the ability to reveal that. I hope it makes some sense.

As for the last fight of Brawler Yukon, where Caitlin lost her leg, I'm planning on doing that as a one-shot some point down the line. Her recovery will also be a part of that story. You can also expect to see her and Sergio appear as guests from time to time as well.

And the guy from the airport talking to Raleigh? That was me about two years ago. (No, we don't throw your bags. And if they pop open, that's not our fault: That's what happens when you try to stuff 40 pounds of clothes into a bag meant to carry 25-30 pounds.)


	28. Chapter 28

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 28**

_Mako and Raleigh's hotel room_

_June 10, 2025_

_1845_

Mako flopped onto the bed, exhausted and emotionally spent from the trip to Oblivion Bay. "That was hard, seeing all those Jaegers again."

Raleigh walked out of the bathroom, still wiping grime from his face after an impromptu scramble into the Conn Pod of Tacit Ronin. "Yeah. It's like walking through a graveyard with all the bodies on display. Kinda creepy."

Mako sat up slightly to look at Raleigh. "Says the man who went sliding into a Conn Pod, whooping in delight."

Raleigh opened his mouth to protest, paused, and then closed it. "Good point."

There was a knock at the door, and Raleigh padded over to answer it. He opened the door to find Herc and Miranda standing there, and Miranda held up a six-pack of beer.

Herc's face was sad, but determined. "Raleigh… can we come in? We need to talk about Manila."

Raleigh stiffened and nodded, then allowed the two Australians into the room.

Mako sat up, every muscle tensed as she felt Raleigh's unease about the situation. _I hate it when one of us gets a fight-or-flight reaction. It affects both of us._

Herc sat down at the small table and cracked open a bottle. "C'mere, you two. I'm not going to bite."

The two Rangers looked at each other and shrugged. Raleigh grabbed a nearby t-shirt and pulled it on, then joined the others at the table.

Herc handed a beer to Mako and Raleigh before he began. "Right, Raleigh was there for this, so if I forget something, make sure it gets covered, okay?"

"Sure."

Herc took another hit from the bottle. "So… Manila, 2019. Last drop of both Horizon Brave and Lucky Seven. First time we lost two Jaegers in a single fight."

Mako nodded, remembering the enormous controversy over the decision to classify the mission, especially the situation that had erupted after the mission had ended… and the rumors about what had_ really_ happened afterwards.

"It was a three Jaeger drop. My brother Scott and I jockeyed Lucky Seven, Raleigh and Yancy were in Gipsy, and Lo Hi Shin and Xichi Po in Horizon Brave. We were tasked with stopping the first Category IV Kaiju."

Raleigh took a swig from his bottle and picked up from his viewpoint. "Yance and I were standing on the left flank, watching this thing come out of the water. We'd never seen a Kaiju that big before. No one had. And it had this barbed tail, kinda like a giant porcupine out on the end of a tentacle. And we all just… stood there for a minute, staring at it."

"I remember that. Scott took one look at that tail and just went, 'Well, that's pleasant. How do we deal with _that_?'"

Mako could feel the storm of emotions swirling inside of Raleigh. Fear, excitement, surprise, panic… everything she had felt during the fight with Otachi.

Miranda took a drink from her iced tea and looked at Raleigh. "Then what happened?"

"Well, Horizon Brave was the senior team on site, so they got overall command. So when they just waded into the water to engage the Kaiju without talking with us first, Yance and I just… froze. We were not expecting that at all."

Herc's gaze grew distant as he recalled the fight. "Scott and I looked at Gipsy, then at Brave, and just waded into the fight. We figured that the Beckets were planning something."

Mako turned to Raleigh. "So… were you?"

"No." Raleigh hung his head. "We kinda just… stared. Horizon and Lucky were notoriously slow Jaegers, so we were blown away at the thought of them trying to take on the Kaiju alone. It wasn't until the tail arched over and just… crushed… the left side Cryo Cannon of Horizon Brave that we jumped into the fight. But by then, it was too late for them."

Herc nodded slowly, gaze distant. "Yeah, when the Cannon let go, it sprayed liquid nitrogen everywhere, especially all over the Conn Pod. The crew just… froze. Instantly."

Mako shivered at the thought of dying that way.

"Then, the Pod was shattered as the Kaiju hit the frozen area. There was just nothing left."

Raleigh looked at the ground. "That's about when Lucky Seven entered the fight. Fists flying, cannons firing, feet smashing… it was a sight to behold."

Herc grinned. "That was a fun fight while it lasted."

Miranda's left eyebrow quirked up as she sipped her iced tea.

Raleigh's smile vanished. "The tail had lost its spines at this point, courtesy of the combination of the liquid nitrogen bath they'd received and an impact into the wreckage of Horizon during the fight. That didn't keep it from being a highly effective club. Yancy and I were just warming up the plasma cannons to try and get a good shot when the tail came around and smashed into the groin area of Lucky, sending them reeling."

Herc's gaze returned to the room as the ball once again rolled his way. "For some reason, the guys who built Lucky added some damage sensors there. So Scott and I felt it as a kick in the crotch. Painful in the extreme… but it triggered a RABIT in Scott that I've never spoken of to anyone other than Stacker and the Marshall of the Sydney Shatterdome at the time."

Herc took a long pull from his beer bottle, draining it. "You have all seen the official report. Scott RABITed from the pain, and we couldn't get out until LOCCENT pulled the plug." He paused to crack open a fresh bottle of beer, then took another long pull from the new bottle. "What really happened was that what I saw _forced_ me to kill the Drift. I couldn't understand why Scott would do what he did… _and be proud of it._"

The three others looked at Herc, profoundly curious, and a little afraid.

Herc looked at them, tears in his eyes. "Scott had raped a woman. I know it was a rape because of how she fought back. Eventually, she'd delivered a powerful kick to Scott in the family jewels, and he'd been knocked back much the same way we had in Lucky. The similarities were so strong that he'd RABITed, and I couldn't shake him."

Raleigh watched the blood drain from the faces of the two women. "Sir… If we'd known…"

"Raleigh, we were in no position to fight at that point. I'd lost every ounce of trust in him. I was horrified to call that man my brother. Afterwards, the test showed that we were no longer Drift compatible, the first time that had ever been documented. So far, it's also the only time it's been documented."

Shaken, Mako looked at Raleigh. "We've seen what happened for the rest of the fight."

Raleigh nodded, glad to be able to change the topic.

Herc drained his second beer before continuing. "After I killed the Drift, Scott was _furious_. He knew I'd seen it, and he knew that I was going to report him for what he'd done. So he was going to try to do something even more heinous: he was going to try to kill me. Thankfully, that was about the time that the Kaiju fell dead onto the legs of Lucky Seven, throwing Scott across the Conn Pod, knocking him out cold so I didn't have to."

Raleigh and Mako looked at each other, then Mako handed her second beer across to Herc.

"Thanks." Herc cracked it open and took a pull, then continued. "After I was cleared by medical, I went straight to the Marshall and told him everything. I expected him to question if it had been real, if it was a fragment of the Drift. But he didn't. He simply called the law enforcement and told them to run Scott's DNA against the rape database. Got three hits right off the bat." Another sip. "I never even bothered to say goodbye. I just ignored him as they marched him to the helicopter for the flight back to Sydney."

Miranda finished her iced tea and chimed in. "Chuck told me the rest."

Herc nodded at his daughter-in-law to continue.

"Chuck also told me that he watched the fight in Manila with great interest, and was extremely upset that Gipsy froze up during the engagement. He always interpreted it as the Beckets stalling so that the Kaiju would be worn out enough that they could finish it off with ease and look like the heroes." Miranda nodded at Raleigh. "I knew that there had to be some other reason, and I told Chuck as much. He still refused to accept the fact that maybe Raleigh and Yancy just froze up. After all, you guys didn't have the same experience as the two older crews. But Chuck insisted on saying that you two weren't rookies on a first Drop, so you shouldn't have frozen. That you hadn't frozen on that Drop against Yamarashi, so you shouldn't have frozen at all when it went south."

Raleigh took Mako's hand. "But then we saved him in the Battle of Hong Kong."

Miranda nodded. "And then he realized that you weren't a glory hound. You actually did freeze up… just like he did right after watching Crimson get taken out so quickly. He didn't freeze for long, but then neither did you. Just a few seconds is all it takes, right?"

Mako nodded. "It's amazing just how fast it goes."

Raleigh smiled. "I figured that I had done more than just go onto the Wall for five years to piss Chuck off that bad."

Miranda laughed. "Oh, you have no idea just how hard it was for him to change his opinion of you, Raleigh. Mako, however… He'd always had a soft spot for you."

Mako's eyes bugged and she nearly choked on the beer she'd been drinking. A few moments of coughing and sputtering later, she turned to Miranda, clearly confused. "Say that again? I swore you just said that Chuck had a soft spot for me…"

"I did. You remember that sweater that showed up on your doorstep from 'A friend in the 'Dome'?"

Mako's jaw hung open. "No…"

Miranda grinned. "Uh-huh."

Mako looked at the particular bag that held the sweater in question. "Wow."

Raleigh and Herc burst out laughing at the exchange… until Raleigh's phone rang with the tone Mako had come to understand indicated a call from an unknown number.

Raleigh walked away from the table and took the call. "Hello?... Speaking… Uh huh… Darn… Really? Hmm… one sec." Raleigh covered the mic of his phone and looked at Mako. "Hey, one of the places we called yesterday just called back. All the studio apartments are waitlisted, but there's a two bed, one bath available."

Mako looked at the petite Australian woman. "Want a room for cheap?"

Miranda looked at them, thinking. "Well, as long as you two keep it down…"

Mako blushed.

Raleigh grinned. "No promises on the nightmares, but otherwise, sure."

"Then count me in."

Raleigh uncovered the mic. "Yeah. We'll take it… and we've got someone in mind for the other room." A pause. "Yeah, we can be by tomorrow. What time?... Sounds good. We'll be by then… Okay, thanks."

Raleigh hung up and tucked his phone away. "We've got an appointment tomorrow at 10am with the landlord."

Mako ran over and hugged Raleigh. "That's great!"

Miranda, however, looked thoughtful for a moment. "Wait… what about once the baby comes?"

Mako and Raleigh looked at her. "Well cross that bridge when we come to it."

Herc smiled. "What about furniture? All three of you need some."

A knock came from the door, and Mako walked over to open it and let Jazmine in. "You know, you have the most uncanny sense of timing."

Jazmine cocked her head, intrigued. "How so?"

"We need to go get some supplies for an apartment."

Jazmine jaw dropped. "An apartment."

"Yes."

"You two got an apartment."

Miranda spoke up, grinning. "Four."

Jazmine's face worked for a moment, trying to process the sudden shift. "Well, then. One trip to the West Sacramento Ikea coming up."

Raleigh froze, remembering the last time he'd been in one of the famed furniture stores.

Mako, Herc, and Miranda all looked at Jazmine, confused. Herc spoke the question on all of their minds…

"What's Ikea?"

-.-.-

**Author's notes: **I usually don't do a whole chapter as a single scene, but that's how this wound up playing out. And yes, I'm going to briefly touch on the visit to Ikea later, with comedic results.

I'd also been planning on doing a chapter dedicated to the visit to Oblivion Bay, but just couldn't make it work out. So, I decided to skip that over, and possibly come back later as the museum opens as a flashback to remember them choosing the Jaegers.


	29. Chapter 29

**Forged in Fire, Chapter 29**

_Mako ad Raleigh's hotel room_

_June 11, 2025_

_0617_

Mako slowly awoke to find herself wrapped in Raleigh's arms. _If I were a cat, I think I'd be purring right now…_

Raleigh stirred, then opened his eyes. "Mornin', Mako."

Mako turned over to face him. "Good morning, Raleigh."

"You want first crack at the shower?"

"Please."

Raleigh let go of Mako, and she headed over to the bathroom.

Mako closed the door most of the way, but didn't latch it. Raleigh didn't even notice it, and picked up his tablet to check the morning headlines…

"_AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!_"

Raleigh dropped his tablet and ran to the bathroom, not sure what to expect as he shoved the door open to reveal Mako staring at her shoulders in the mirror. "Mako! What's wrong?"

Mako saw Raleigh come in, panic evident on his face. "My shoulders are peeling!"

Raleigh leaned his head against the doorframe, sighing. "You scared me. It sounded like you'd hurt yourself badly." He looked at Mako. "It's from the sunburn."

Mako proceeded to try to pick at the skin, only to have her hands swatted away by Raleigh.

"Don't pick at it. It'll flake off all by itself."

Mako sighed. "It's going to be a long day…"

Raleigh just shook his head in dismay, then went back to his tablet as Mako got into the shower.

-.-.-

_Dining area_

_0800_

Mako watched Miranda plow through her breakfast with awe. _I know she's pregnant, but that metabolism of hers is still incredible._ Mako looked down at her breakfast, which consisted of some eggs, bacon, and coffee. _Got to talk to Raleigh about sparring again. Can't afford to get soft!_

Herc, Jaz, and Chau were in the corner, talking business over a pair of tablets and a laptop, all while eating breakfast. _Looks like they're trying to find a place to set up business, based off the maps on the tablets._

Raleigh sipped his coffee, then gave it a surprised look. "Whoa… That's real coffee. Not the stuff we had in the Dome."

Miranda growled, upset by the news. "God, why do they have to get the shipment now? I swore the stuff off back in January…"

Raleigh looked at the diminutive Australian woman with whom he would soon be sharing an apartment. "So… Mako and I need to learn how to cook."

Mako froze. _Raleigh, that's not true. You just need a refresher course._

Miranda nodded. "So I've heard. Other than the microwave, what do you know how to do?"

Mako hung her head in shame. "I spent my time learning how to fix and pilot Jaegers, not learning how to cook."

"And I'm not going to hold that against you. You'll have no bad habits." Miranda turned to face Raleigh. "You, however, have some experience, yes?"

"A little. Not much to practice with on the Wall…"

"Hmm… Well, that's something we'll work on."

Jazmine walked over to join them. "Herc and Hannibal will be going downtown to try and sort out some of the business aspects of the whole deal while we go to the apartments and then to Ikea."

Mako smiled and took a deep sip of her coffee before responding. "Sounds like a plan."

"Oh, Herc was messing with me when he said he didn't know what Ikea was."

Miranda laughed. "Yeah, he has a bit of a sense of humor once you get to know him better."

Raleigh shrugged and looked at the news on his tablet… then promptly spit his coffee out back into the cup at the sight of the headline. _U.S. Representative to the Pan Pacific Working Group Found Dead. _"Herc? Check the news."

A brief pause, then the sheer size of Herc's mastery of foul language became evident to everyone in earshot.

Mako leaned over to see the headline on Raleigh's tablet, then succinctly responded in Japanese. "_Kuso._" She tapped on the article to read more, and quickly read it all. Concern crossed her face as she read.

_AP, New York._

_Liam Taylor, US Representative to the Pan Pacific Working Group, was found dead in his office this morning by aides. Police refuse to comment on the incident, stating that the investigation had only just begun and that more information would become available as the inquiry progressed._

_Taylor had been a longtime supporter of the Wall of Life program, to the detriment of the Pan Pacific Defense Corp and their Jaegers. Taylor's place on the Working Group is widely expected to be given to Senator Samuel Baxter (R, CA), a staunch supporter of the Jaegers and inveterate critic of Taylor's actions in the Group. The Senator had the following to say about his late colleague:_

"_He was always a hard worker, especially when it was for a cause he believed in. My thoughts and prayers are with his family in the days and weeks to come."_

Jazmine whistled in surprise. "Bad timing if I ever saw it. If that had happened a year a-MMMMPH!"

Mako grinned and sat back down, wiping powdered sugar off her fingers. "Watch your tongue, Miss Becket. Else I'll find another donut to stuff into your mouth instead of your foot."

Jazmine paused, then bit through the donut like Leatherback had bit through the cargo container Mako had shoved into his mouth back in Hong Kong months before. "You win… this time." Then, she winked at Mako and headed over to the table where Herc and Hannibal waited.

Miranda looked at the exchange and shook her head, then looked at the time. "Come on, let's go get ready, Mako. You're not going to go meet the landlord looking like that…"

Mako flushed. "This is fine, Miranda."

"Cargo capris and a grease-resistant T-shirt are _not_ okay." The Australian grabbed Mako by the wrist and dragged the still-protesting Ranger to her room for a change of attire.

Raleigh simply sat back and sipped his coffee. _This is going to be interesting. Mako's got strength, speed, and reach on Miranda. But Miranda's got spirit._

Herc walked over. "Five bucks Miranda gets Mako to wear a dress."

"No way, sir. Mako doesn't have a dress. An ankle length skirt, however…"

"You're on."

-.-.-

_Apartment complex_

_0955_

Miranda looked at the apartment complex, sizing it up. _Pool, laundry, small gym… Nice place._ She looked at the Rangers, who were also sizing up the complex, but with different criteria.

Mako darted over to a shaded patch of lawn, an oasis of green compared to the brown of dead lawns common in Sacramento in the summer. She briefly went through a few stances, minus the _hanbo_, and bounced from foot to foot. She sadly looked at Raleigh and shook her head. _Nope, not suitable for sparring._

"I'll go look for someplace tomorrow, Mako."

"Okay, Raleigh."

Miranda coughed to remind the Rangers that they had an appointment.

"Right. Come on, Raleigh."

The three walked into the main office and were greeted by the landlord. "Hello, and welcome to… Oh."

Miranda realized that the landlord was somewhat stunned by his prospective new tenants, and decided to defuse the situation. "Oi! Just because I'm from Oz and I'm short doesn't make me a Munchkin."

The landlord roared with laughter. "Oh, it's not that, ma'am. It's the Rangers."

Raleigh politely inclined his head. "Sorry about not warning you, sir. We've been trying to keep a low profile lately."

Mako nodded, her braided hair bobbing behind her. "We were attacked in the Shatterdome in Hong Kong before we came here. We've been trying to stay off the radar ever since."

The landlord nodded. "I understand. I'll try to do what I can to help." He turned to Miranda. "My apologies, but I don't think I ever got your name."

"Miranda Schaeffer."

"And if I may be so bold… what brings you with Ms. Mori and Mr. Becket?"

The pain of the question was evident on Miranda's face.

"I'm sorry if I pried too much…"

"No, no. I need to get used to it." She sighed. "My fiancée was in the PPDC and worked alongside Mako and Raleigh."

The landlord thought for a moment, then guessed at who she referred to. "Chuck Hansen?"

"Yes, sir."

"I am truly sorry for your loss."

"Thank you."

The landlord finally gestured to the door. "Now, I'm sure that you three are eager to see the apartment, correct?"

They nodded.

"Then let's get started, shall we?"

-.-.-

_Mark and Monica's Pizza_

_Carmichael, CA (suburb of Sacramento)_

_1217_

Jazmine walked over to meet Mako, Raleigh, and Miranda. "How'd it go?"

Mako laughed. "Miranda just gave herself a nickname at the beginning of the meet."

"Oh? Do tell."

Raleigh looked at the blushing Australian. "Munchkin."

Jazmine looked confused. "Huh?"

Mako and Raleigh roared with laughter as Miranda sighed. "The landlord, Mr. Roberts, saw Mako and Raleigh and kinda froze up. So I tried to break the ice by saying that despite the fact that I was from Oz and short, I wasn't a Munchkin."

Jazmine chuckled. "Well, that nickname is going to stick now, I'm sure. It's just such a perfect fit for you."

Miranda hung her head. "Great."

Mako elbowed the Australian as their pizza arrived. "Come on, food's here." Mako took a bite of the pepperoni pizza… and instantly broke out in sweat. "_Atsui atsui atsui!_" _Hot hot hot!_

Raleigh looked at Mako, then at the pizza, and grabbed a slice and bit into it. "Mmmm… the good 'ronis. Been a while."

Jaz nodded as she bit into her slice.

Miranda looked at the pizza like it was from Mars. "What's the big deal about pizza, anyways?"

Raleigh looked at her like _she_ was from Mars. "It's _pizza_, Munchkin."

Miranda sighed and bit into her slice… and her eyes bulged in surprise. "Mmmmm…"

Mako washed her slice down and wiped her forehead. "Is it normally that spicy? That has a nasty kick to it."

Jazmine laughed. "Not normally, no. This's the _good_ stuff, though. I haven't had any in years."

Raleigh turned to his sister. "Jaz, do you know of any good places to spar around here?"

"Actually, I do. There's one not far from here that is more about _karate_, but might be interested in having you two come in. There's been a _lot_ of interest in the sparring you guys train in after that video hit YouTube and went viral."

Mako thought for a moment. "Hmm… maybe we should start teaching classes on weekends." She looked around for people watching them, but most were focused on the sports commentators on the TV. "At least until we're back on war footing."

Raleigh shrugged. "We're probably going to wind up teaching the next batch of Rangers ourselves, anyways."

Miranda perked up at that remark. "New Rangers? Can I join after, well, you know…"

Mako and Raleigh looked at each other, knowing looks on their faces. Mako turned back to the shorter woman and quoted Pentecost. "'Vengeance is like an open wound. You cannot carry that level of emotion into the Drift.'"

"That's bullshit and you know it. You took it in, and you two handled it just fine… Right?"

Raleigh's pained expression spoke volumes, none of it good for Miranda's argument.

Mako took Miranda's hands in her own. "We almost lost it on the first Drift. Not just us, but all of humanity."

"How?"

Mako sighed. "I chased the RABIT so strongly, Gipsy responded to my fear and armed my plasma cannon. We nearly took out the Shatterdome as I relived Tokyo."

Miranda's jaw fell. "I…"

Mako just braced herself and took another bite of pizza. "You know, once you get past the heat, it's actually pretty good!"

Jazmine laughed. "We'll make an American of you yet, Mako."

The four laughed, and dug into their pizza slices again.

-.-.-

**Author's notes:** I wanted to touch on the food shortages that Raleigh referenced in the movie as he sat down to eat with Herc, and how that would affect things most people in the U.S. take for granted. Also, Mako's sunburn coming back to haunt her was something I'd been planning for a bit.

Speaking of food, Mako's lessons in cooking are going to be a recurring source of humor, I promise.

Also on the topic of food: Yes, Mark and Monica's is a real place. It's currently rebuilding after a fire late last year, but they have the _best_ pizza around town.

Senator Baxter is going to become a recurring character, along with his daughter, whom we've already met. Kudos to you if you can find her.

Oh, and expect some other familiar faces to start to return to the story. The big move across the Pacific is about to start. ;)

Oh, and expect things to pick up again, posting-wise. I've gotten things kinda settled right now, so I can start to put more time into writing.

Finally, shout out to AsianVegetablesLLC for pointing out that Herc would have known what an Ikea was. Good catch!


End file.
